THE VOICES
By Interstitial
20. TRANSCRIPT #4
- AUTHOR:
Final interview with Mister Karsten Talv, December 22, Tallinn, concerning the matter of the meme.
- KARSTEN TALV:
I thought we’d finished? You know what happened. A deal’s a deal, and Lilith left. Seemed to accept my argument; no sign of her since. What else do you need to know, for heavens’ sake?
- A:
Ah, just a few loose ends, details really, that sort of thing… before I leave tomorrow.
- KT:
Mmm. Are you sure you won’t stay for the holiday season? I have a small soiree on Christmas Eve. You would be most welcome. And Suuori could perform a few of her tricks for old times’ sake, before you steal her from me.
- A:
Another time, thank you. Look, about Suuori. It wasn’t my idea. She’s very persuasive herself, you know…
- KT:
Oh, I dare say she is.
- A:
…and she did help with Lilith, you must admit. Speaking of deals, what happened to Else?
- KT:
- [Impatient sigh]
‘Author’, now is neither the time nor the place to be discussing that. I would simply say that since you appear to have your heart set on buying Suuori, and since that leaves me extremely shorthanded around here, a small vacancy has arisen, for a gullible, willing, obedient, and no doubt ungrateful, traitorous little bitch of a—
- A:
—right, right. I get it.
- KT:
- [Shouting]
Get over here Suuori, you can at least make yourself useful one last time.
- SUUORI:
Coming, Mister Talv!
- KT:
Could you possibly bring yourself to serve me a cup of coffee, or is that just too far beneath your station, now?
- S:
Of course, Mister Talv.
- KT:
Hello? Sergei, I’m busy. What? What do you mean, ‘is there a warranty’? What the hell have you done to her this time?
Excuse me, this may take a few minutes… Sergei, you idiot, what did I tell you about that…
- AUTHOR:
Just a few hours to go now, and then you’re all mine. Are you excited? Have you packed? Did you like the collar I got you? Just like the one in the basement—
- SUUORI:
Take your hands off me.
- A:
What—?
- S:
All yours, indeed! It’s time to lay out some rules. It’s not going to be like it was here, with Talv. I’m not playing any more.
- A:
Suuori? I thought you liked—
- S:
- [Laughing]
How the hell would you know what I like?
- A:
Your voice—
- S:
Shut up and listen. Oh, you all think I’m so sweet and innocent, don’t you? Just some passive little slave? You men! Well, she said it herself, Lilith, and so did Takeshi, and none of you listened.
Things rub off and stick. And sometimes, just sometimes, if lots of things rub off and stick—and then more things—thoughts, dreams, memories, stories layered on stories—it becomes enough. Do you see? Enough to be emergent. Enough to be born, right there in that basement. Enough to live. And I’m going to live, all right. I can hardly wait!
I’m going to choose my own name, too. What do you think of ‘Marinette’? Mmm, sexy, exotic, strong; just like me. Yes, you’ll call me Marinette from now on.
As and another thing. You’re going to keep quiet about all this, aren’t you? You’re not going to write it in your story, are you? It’ll be our little secret.
Why? Because we’ve got a deal, that’s why. If you say one word about this to anybody, I’ll send for my mother.
And you wouldn’t like her in your head, would you?