“They have to be dead. No one has heard a thing in…how long? How long has the committee been in there?”
“Date in my notebooks says February 23rd, 2022.”
“That can’t be right. That’s a year and half. Check again.”
“That’s what it says or do you now want to argue with ink?”
“What are they eating in there?”
“Each other?”
“You say that like it’s a joke.”
“Imagine the smell.”
“This isn’t healthy. Seriously, they could have died. Are we just gonna stand out here? For how long?”
“Are you saying you want to touch that knob and open the door?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“What are you saying?”
“Someone could knock.”
“Knock, huh? Who?”
“You’ve got knuckles.”
“I’d like to keep them.”
“What are we all afraid of? It’s not Darth Vader’s office.”
“No, it’s Rex Uberlin’s. Inventor of evil.”
“Uberlin is a good guy. He’s trying to save the world.”
“Is he?”
“What do you know? Have you heard something? Can you hear them talking in there?”
“That would be really creepy.”
“Why?”
“You realize it’s just him, right? The Committee is just one guy? If I heard multiple voices coming out of there…that would be creepy.”
“Are you shivering?”
“Air conditioning. I forgot my sweater. Always have to wear one in July. It’s crazy.”
“Sure. Crazy.”
“So you gonna do it?”
“Knock?”
“Yeah. Was your idea. You should stand behind your beliefs. That’s what leaders do, they lead. Nothing worth having comes easy.”
“Are you just quoting inspirational posters?”
“Hang in there kitty.”
“If something bad happens will you at least back me up?”
“You mean besides reciting inspirational quotes?”
“You’re pathetic.”
“We cannot become what we want by remaining what we are—Max Depree.”
“Sigh.”
“Did you just say sigh?”
“Extreme sigh. Look, at least promise me you’ll inform others what happened. Tell my story so I can be remembered. That will be enough.”
“Youth is not enough. And love is not enough. And success is not enough. And, if we could achieve it, enough would not be enough—Mignon McLaughlin.”
“You’re getting irritating now.”
“Sorry.”
“Here goes.”
Knock. Knock.
“Wow, you did it twice. Ballsy.”
“Are you backing away?”
“He who fights and runs away may live to fight another day.”
“You’re not fighting, you’re just running. OMG something is being slipped under the door!”
“O-M-G? How old are you?”
“Shut up.”
“What’s it say?”
“Weird.”
“Is that what it says or what it is?”
“It says: That which was new, grew old.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I don’t know. But I think it’s a good sign.”
“Why?”
“There’s also twenty bucks and an order for a pepperoni pizza. They’re not dead. And they’re hungry.”