Thread Roulette: Story (Sean, Maxwell)

It was in his nature to be a mouse, Maxwell realized. Just a doormouse, scurrying around and scrounging for crumbs - or, in this case, meaningful social contact... friends. He'd had it in his head that somewhere along the way someone would notice him. Maybe they'd go temporarily insane and consider him interesting, think of speaking to him for more than five minutes in line at the cafeteria, or awkwardly as classes began - "Do you have a spare pencil?" and then the halfhearted reply, "Just make sure I get it back... and don't make anything weird happen with it, okay?"

It was no surprise, then, that he found solace in the great Hammel library. It was hard for him to read - dyslexia had that affect on a person - but he made it a point to come in once in a while and find good books by authors he had either read previously, or heard on audiobook. He especially liked mysteries... there was a problem, and someone went out of their way to fix it. But he was in a different kind of mood today - call it adventurous if you must - he walked past mystery (and Doyle, Preston & Child, Christie, and all the rest), and to a new section.

He twisted his head this way and that, reading the spines that were sometimes typed one way and sometimes the opposite among the classics collection. He finally picked his way to the end of a shelf where a few misplaced books had been left by a lazy or rushed student. A stack of Ray Bradbury books.

Maxwell's eyes widened. He could read one of these! Happily, he grabbed the errant stack and made his way to a quiet corner in the back of the section, stopping at a table where he hoped he could indulge himself. He read the titles in his hand: Fahrenheit 451, Something Wicked This Way Comes, The Illustrated Man...

The only one he hadn't read was the last, and the cover intrigued him. He opened the first page and began reading, hoping the words would come easily today.

It was a warm afternoon in early September when I first met the Illustrated Man...

The book was brilliant. Mr. Bradbury really was fantastic - rich words flooded him like sun on a windowpane. It felt so easy sometimes, without words getting mixed up and becoming something they weren't. He couldn't wait to hear the stories tattooed on the mysterious stranger's back. In short, this was a good choice on his part.

The voice would have surprised him into jumping if it weren't for the calm tone. It made him think of the evenings where a well-placed sunset and a sympathetic ear could turn water into eggnog. He remembered where he was, of course - the library didn't have the right ambiance of a well-placed sunset. But still.

He tried to answer, and hoped it didn't confirm the belief that he was, in reality, a freaking bunny in headlights... "My first time? Oh no, I've done Bradbury a few times--" Of course brain, throw in a raging innuendo, please. "I mean, I've read Bradbury a few times, but I haven't done--read--had the chance to look at this one yet."

Maxwell's face was hot, and he wanted to turn away from the doctor. It was hard, though, when that face returned his glance as if he might actually matter.

Did Dr. N have this effect on everyone at Hammel?

If he had seen how his face brightened at the question, he would have been embarrassed, but as it stood, Maxwell just beamed.

"I loved that book! My favorite line is the opening one - it was a pleasure to burn," he quoted excitedly. "And it was really cool to parallel that to... well, it was fun, up until I tried to write an essay about it..." He didn't quite lose the gleam in his eye, but the happy nostalgia was gone. A memory flashed in his head of a flaming torch in his hand, lighting his essay--and a few other objects besides--into a blaze of glory.

Not the worst memory of his, all told. Actually got him a date, although he had of course been wary of meetings where flames were a turn-on...

Naked Lunch had been the worst book to write about...

He turned back to his companion, and realized suddenly that this was Dr. Neville speaking to him. It was too great an opportunity to miss, although he was less than fluent at social interactions... But he had to give this a try. "So...what’s your favorite book, Dr. N?"