video;

[doctor_dismemberment]

[The feed cuts on to a frantic-looking Nazi who's struggling to smile.]

Look. No, okay, look, ja? [He holds his hands up to the camera in a "calm down" motion.] There are three posts about that silly collar thing. Talk in those. Let us do something else now, okay?

[He lifts up a book.]

We are going to read some stories, then we may discuss them. That is fun und unrelated, right? Here, I will begin.

[He clears his throat.]

'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...'

Comments

video

[marriedthebloke]

I suggest reading something shorter. Unless you are trying to read the abridged version.

video

[doctor_dismemberment]

It was the first fucking book I-!

[Richtofen stops himself and takes in a deep breath. It's supposed to be calming, but it doesn't really work. He smiles a perky, tense smile.]

Okay. I will find a different one. A better one.

Re: video

[marriedthebloke]

[She frowns as she hears the swearing and then the sudden swerve.]

If you want to.

[doctor_dismemberment]

Hold on for a moment.

[Richtofen gets up and disappears behind a bookshelf. The feed cuts off after a while, indicating he walked too far away, then it abruptly cuts back on when he's sitting in his chair again.

He holds up another, smaller book.]

This one is called 1984. I am assuming it is futuristic, und therefore exciting. Will this be sufficient?

[marriedthebloke]

...It is very short. And very modern.

[She says the last word like an insult.]

[doctor_dismemberment]

[Richtofen prods at the inside of his cheek with his tongue.]

Really? I see. [He wrinkles his nose, trying to be cutesy. It doesn't work.] How quaint.

Let's begin.

'It was a bright und cold day in April, und the clocks were striking thirteen.' If this turns into another long paragraph of boring exposition, I swear to G- Oh, no, here we go: 'Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions...'

[marriedthebloke]

[She says nothing. Only listens to him read. However, it's clear by her expression, she cares little for this. She only listens out of idle curiosity.]

[doctor_dismemberment]

[Richtofen continues to read, and for the most part, it's uneventful. Eventually, though, he starts to insert his own comments in between the actual story.]

'It was one of those pictures which are so contrived that the eyes follow you about when you move. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, the caption beneath it ran.' Oh, lovely. Who does this remind me of?

[He tilts his head up and looks pointedly at all the little nooks and crannies near the ceiling where he's sure the cameras are hiding. He gives a little wave for whoever's in charge of watching the security footage that day, then turns back to his book.]

Fucking rats. Ahem...

[marriedthebloke]

...It is quite like our situation, isn't it.

[She crosses her arms. At least, she's quite sure, those in the books had their own bodies.]

[doctor_dismemberment]

[He nods.]

From what I can tell, anyway. But you know, that "Hate Week" thing about a paragraph back, that sounds like fun. Perhaps we should have a Hate Week?

[Richtofen, you haven't even read far enough into the book to know what Orwell is talking about, can you please.]

[marriedthebloke]

...What would we even hate? I doubt the administrators would allow us to hate them.

[doctor_dismemberment]

Each other, maybe. The food. The fact that the administrators will not let us make them the subject of our Hate Week.

[He spreads his arms open wide, that poor copy of 1984 clutched in one of his hands.]

The possibilities are endless!

[marriedthebloke]

It would be a little less disastrous than the other disasters they've put us through.

[doctor_dismemberment]

I think it would be nice to do it. It would give us somewhere to get our... aggression out.

[There's a glint in his eyes when he says that. The smile he's wearing is genuine for once.]

[marriedthebloke]

[She nods.]

Even so, would the administrators be so...courteous as to actually give us a hate week?

[doctor_dismemberment]

[Richtofen shrugs and looks like he's a second away from bursting into laughter.]

Do they ever approve anything we do here anyway? It isn't like we have to get forms und permits to throw parties.

[marriedthebloke]

True. So you will be giving yourself a hate week?

[doctor_dismemberment]

Perhaps. We should all make a big festival out of it. I am sure it will relieve some of this ugly tension that is everywhere, urgh.

[He shudders, as if he's not one of the most tense people in this whole damn tower.]

[marriedthebloke]

Then you arrange it.

[She'll...stay in her room or something.]

[doctor_dismemberment]

You know, maybe I will! [He claps his hands together.] But first, I suppose I should check to make sure I am being true to the source material, ja? Let's keep reading.

[marriedthebloke]

Yes, read away.