Chapter Four

[no_bad_writing]

I have a question to put to everyone. More like a request, really, if I'm going to be specific.

Does anyone have any paper? Is there, you know, a large supply of paper tucked away somewhere in this city?

...I think I'm in need of it. A lot of it.

Comments

[not_riku_thx]

You're in luck! The guy who lived in my apartment must have been some kind of accountant....there's long rolls and an calculator to go with it, and also an old typewriter and some paper boxes...some are used on one side with add-up figures and things, but no reason to waste 'em, right?

...What've you got to trade me for?

[no_bad_writing]

You're kidding. Rolls of paper? There's even a typewriter? [tries belatedly not to sound too eager] How...interesting.

Trade? Um... You, uh, wouldn't be interested in cigarettes, would you?

[not_riku_thx]

Yeah, pretty useless for me, I'm not much into that stuff. I'm usually out too much.

Hm. Maybe not for me to use, but I think it would be good to have on hand for trade with someone else.

[no_bad_writing]

Out too much? I wonder what that's like. Haven't exactly been outside much since I've been here.

Hey, works for me. Do we have a deal, then? ...And who are you, by the way?

[sandpaperbreath]

There's plenty of paper and writing utensils down here at the highschool. However, gonna have to ask you to share.

[no_bad_writing]

Thanks. That's very good to know.

And don't worry, it's not as if I'd be using all of it. Even if this writer's block vanishes, I doubt I'll be using up the whole supply.

[biggubosu]

I have packages of paper in the warehouse I live in. Dug them up out of some of the storage boxes in here. You can have all of it.

[no_bad_writing]

All of it? ...Really? Well, that is certainly very generous of you.

...No strings attached, or anything?

[biggubosu]

Yeah. I don't need paper. I don't think anyone here has anything really useful to trade anyway.

[colormywings]

I have some paper you can have. Are you an artist or something?

[no_bad_writing]

Thanks very much. That's a very nice offer.

No, nothing so interesting as an artist. An author, actually. I write books... I needed the paper because, well, I'm thinking of starting a new one here, and I didn't have anything to write on.

[colormywings]

Really? So are you famous? What kind of books do you write?

[no_bad_writing]

Well...yes, actually. I guess you could say that I'm famous. I have fans that come to book signings, that sort of thing.

Oh, they're mostly suspense/thriller types... Murder mysteries... Not the sort of thing that you should be reading, I'm afraid.

[the_blueblur]

Gonna write a story?

[no_bad_writing]

I'm going to try, anyway. Might as well make myself useful as long as I'm here, right? And writing is what I do best. Or so my publishers tell me.

[the_blueblur]

But I guess it won't be fiction while you're here, right?

[no_bad_writing]

True. That's sort of the idea, actually. I figure that if this place doesn't give me some inspiration for a really chilling story, then nothing will.