Intermediate Library Science

[theworst]

[So Jeff and Britta are in a library, in a study room, with books spread across the table. It's oddly nostalgic, except there are five other people missing. Britta's face is scrunched up as she reads over one trying to find something in there to quiz Jeff about to help him in his studying]

How many laws do you really need to know to be a lawyer? Can't you just sing Witchy Woman and win the jury over or whatever it is that you do?

[they seriously need Annie, because this thing called studying is hard]

Comments

[bedheaded]

Like, zombies and... and whatever else there is other than zombies?

What is that, ghosts? Walking skeletons? I really don't watch enough horror for this.

[theworst]

No, not like zombies. They usually look just like a person who didn't die except they might be a little crazier or they made some deal with the churches so they could come back to life.

[bedheaded]

And it's that easy? Why can't we have that?

[theworst]

I wouldn't say it's easy, considering insanity and whatever other cost there might be that goes along with it.

[bedheaded]

Because being insane is so much worse than ceasing to exist.

[theworst]

Yeah, because it's so easy to exist without your mind or sanity.

[bedheaded]

It's easier than existing without your body.

[theworst]

Well, if I were to die, I wouldn't want you to bring me back. Life is worth living because it's short.

[as she says it she's less convinced though, because dying is scary]

[bedheaded]

Really, Britta? Because if I were to die, I'd want you to bring me back. I'd want you to save me from that. You're an atheist, right? Then you know. It's not heaven or hell. It's not reincarnation or getting a second chance. It's not like being asleep or somewhere without light or noise. It's just ending. It's not nothing; you are. You stop. I don't know about you, but I don't want any part of that if there is anything I can do to get away from it. I want to live. Choosing anything else when I still have the option is tantamount to pointing a gun at my own head and firing.

[theworst]

If it's that important to you, I'll promise to bring you back! But if the situations are reversed I don't want to be brought back, nothingness or not.

[she is feeling less convinced of that after his speech, but her stubbornness is winning out right now. She focuses her attention back on the book, flipping the page, even though she's not really processing anything on the page]

[bedheaded]

[He puts the hand over the page and looks right at her.]

Really, Britta? I'll agree to that. If you can look me in the eye and tell me that you want to die, I won't try to bring you back.

[theworst]

[she looks up at him]

It's not the same as wanting to die. I just don't want to give my life up to whatever these things are that are in charge. I'd rather have my freedom and know I went out completely as myself than be put back together by these cults.

[bedheaded]

[He draws his hand away and shakes his head.] No one's going to care when you're dead. [He continues to pursue the law + history books for more awesome cultural nuances for him to abuse the shit out of.]

[theworst]

[she's quiet for a few minutes, trying to focus on reading, but fails. She closes the book and gets up]

You seem to have it all figured out, so I'll leave you to it. I'm out of here.

[she grabs her coat and bag so she can get away from Jeff and this stupid conversation]

[bedheaded]

[He rolls his eyes and goes back to his books.

For about five seconds as he waits for her to not leave.

And then he chases after her.]

Wait, Britta. Look. I lied. Someone would care. If you died and I lived forever, which, let's be honest I deserve to, because the world is a sadder place without me... I'd care. I'd really care. So please come back and help me learn to pervert the course of justice in this ridiculous horror story of Victorian London.

[theworst]

[she doesn't say anything, but after a few seconds she moves past him back to the table, opening the book and focusing on it in silence]

[bedheaded]

[He sits down across from her, and he reads without speaking, though he does steal a few glances to see if she's okay. And he thought he learned his lessons about projecting his fear of deaths onto others to force them to face the mortality he doesn't want to.]

[theworst]

[after a while she finally breaks the silence, although she still doesn't look up from the book]

What kind of stuff do you need to know from these books?

[bedheaded]

Laws related to driving regulations. I was best at criminal law, but DUI doesn't exist here. I don't really want to get into the business of defending corporations or the state, and defending people who kill or hurt other people usually means defending people without money, but people still have carriages, and according to this book, motor vehicles are still used and subject to some pretty suppressive laws. Probably lobbying interests from the railways. I'm looking for something in that I can work with.

[theworst]

[she glances up] What about being the type of attorney who sues corporations and businesses and everything else? You could be sexy, like Erin Brocovich. [...] You know, the dude version.

[she frowns and then looks back at the book again]

[bedheaded]

As much as I'd love to be played by Julia Roberts in the movie of my life, I would be sexy and poor. I'm in it for the cars and the suits, not for justice.

[theworst]

She got rich eventually, when she won those cases, and she was able to help the poor and downtrodden, too.

[bedheaded]

That's great for her, but we have monthly bills, and it's the careless and wealthy who can fix that.

[theworst]

Excuse me for wanting to help the innocent and needy. [and back to flipping through the book. Her mood seems slightly better, as she focuses on reading the books and arguing with Jeff]

[bedheaded]

If I wanted to do that, I would be a public defender. This is much more rewarding in every way that counts.