GB   Eeek!!!!

GB   Who's there?! Show yourself!

Your wild, random swings seem to land. Good thing you took self-defense classes!

CO   i was - if you would permit me to -

GB   I'm warning you! I've got thorns!!

CO   the hitting is unncessary - gabrielle, i must insist -

GB   What??

GB   Wait... huh?

You reach for the theater's light switch; then, all is illuminated.

GB   I-It's you!

GB   Goodness, you... you nearly made my heart jump out!

CO   i would catch it.

GB   ...

GB   Corona, what are you doing here?

GB   Were you planning on using this room?

They nod, smiling as peacefully as ever.

CO   i understand this is the room of film.

CO   if you were to operate it, i would like to observe.

GB   Oh! I suppose that's alright.

GB   I, just, didn't think you'd be interested.

GB   With all your... research.

CO   observing humanity is paramount to my research.

CO   and ive yet to dabble in audio-visual media.

Yes, you remember them mentioning something like that in their long-winded, passionate rambles. Like most, you tend to tune them out, since they seem content speaking more than being heard. Unlike most of your peers, however, you feel a lingering sympathy for them. You'll gladly humor them, if company's all they need.

GB   So, you've never seen a movie before?

CO   hm. not a single one.

GB   Wow.

GB   That's... so sad.

GB   I suppose it's my responsibility to guide you, then!

Feeling a sudden burst of energy, you race over to the projection room. You hear them following right behind you.

CO   you have my utmost gratitude.

GB   It's no problem.

GB   Truth be told, it's kind of exciting playing a senior role!

GB   Just call me a film professor.

CO   i have no device upon which to call them.

GB   I don't really get what you said, so moving on -

GB   How did you know I was going to be in here?

CO   with our peers.

CO   you mentioned having an interest in a 'night of movies'.

GB   I suppose I did.

GB   But it hasn't officially started, yet.

GB   I didn't create a schedule or anything.

CO   you didnt have to.

GB   ...

GB   Okay!

GB   I was going to put on something just to test the projector.

GB   But, since you're here...

GB   I'll put away the CB quadrilogy for now.

You rifle through the vast library of physical media. Of course, The Program has a digital library as well, but if you're going to have a theater all to yourself, why not immerse yourself in the experience?

CO   cee-bee?

GB   Cult Bloodshed!

GB   It's a pretty graphic series, but it's a guilty pleasure for me.

GB   Oh, you'd probably want to watch a documentary or something, right?

GB   Something informational and science-y.

CO   hm.

CO   would 'cult bloodshed' not document reality?

GB   Um, in an artistic way, I guess.

GB   That's a whole different conversation.

GB   The point is, people tend to get a bit squeamish, and it's your first movie, so...

GB   I don't want you to get overwhelmed. Or scared.

GB   It's pretty messed up.

Their laugh is soft, and strangely... bemused? You hope you didn't sound too condescending.

CO   i see. you underestimate my tolerance.

GB   Oh no, I didn't mean it personally!

GB   It just takes some time to get desensitized to the genre.

GB   My brother tried watching one with me, and he passed out during Act 1.

CO   i assure you that i will remain conscious.

CO   though a documentary seems intriguing, i would rather watch your...

CO   hm.

CO   the one you mentioned.

GB   Cult Bloodshed?

CO   yes.

GB   Hmm.

GB   How about we start with something more entry-level, instead?

GB   If you can handle it, we can grow from there.

You pick through some older, more classic films. Goodness, there are even some black-and-white pictures, here. Maybe you should have a movie night. It would help put people's minds off of... everything that goes on, normally.

CO   hm hm.

CO   you speak as if it is a test of stamina.

GB   Horror can be like that.

GB   But seeing what you can handle can be fun, too.

Corona's crouched down next to you, now. They're rummaging through the films, seeming content to look at them more than anything.

GB   There's already so much that scares us in real life.

GB   When you're able to encapsulate your fears into a piece of art, it feels contained.

GB   And the more you can stomache, the more you can learn to overcome.

GB   It's not like I can throw myself at a monster in real life, right?

GB   So, the better I can handle things in here...

The more you'll grow, for the world out there.

CO   i see.

CO   by engaging in the hypothetical, you prepare for the real.

CO   so, what is meant to be overcome in the bloodshed movie?

GB   Umm...

GB   Mob mentality?

GB   Excessive devotion?

GB   People who specifically prey on the weak and psychologically vulnerable?

CO   hm.

CO   none of those sound like a creature.

CO   or something you can kill.

GB   Sometimes you overcome the abstract rather than a physical thing.

GB   Like, before I grew to love horror, I was scared of everything.

GB   I'd always freeze up, you know?

GB   And maybe other people found it cute or endearing, but it felt awful.

GB   So, when I was way too young...

GB   I forced myself to watch scarier and scarier horror movies.

GB   Just so I could get stronger.

CO   hm hm.

CO   if your experience is to be believed, then you must be quite 'strong.'

It's kind of them to say. But it's not true. You've got so far to go to be who you need to be.