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CHAPTER 9.5 - PAGE 19

(Transcript and visual captions below}

   Karl had to gather his wits, he hated getting called out. It was bad enough at work, but he could usually write that off as not his fault or not a big deal. This time though, he really did have something to be guilty about. He felt like he needed to defend himself, but was it even something he could defend? But it was almost ten years ago, did he need to feel bad about it now?

In which it's DOCTOR Curly Fry to you, bub.

 

        "Oh..." Jack squinted his eyes, trying to remember, "the one with the h--"

        "Yes, the one with the hooker ads." Karl slumped further in his seat.

        "Well, that's cool though... I read that for a while..."

This was always an awkward conversation with people, the Masher was well-loved by some scary hipsters, and reviled by most others because the paper had dissed their tastes, politics, lifestyles, genders, sexuality, country of origin, or personal humanity. And because Hans Farrell, in general.

        "Heh," Karl said, "I always wondered if you'd see my name in the paper and we'd get in contact again."

Jack actually looked a little sympathetic, "I stopped reading it a few years ago, after they cut the comics page."

        "Ah. Yeah, a lot of people did."

Jack tapped his phone against the table, and took a glance, considering something.

 

In which it's DOCTOR Curly Fry to you, bub.

            "Er," Karl took a step back, "this is awkward."

Jack looked flustered, and was suddenly very interested in a bit of neon lighting nearby.

            "Are you okay?" Karl asked, and Jack turned to leave for the stairs.

            "No--I mean, I'm fine," Jack shook his head, "we should just get to my car, it's late."

            "Y-yeah, I just thought... you're so cold."

Jack glanced over his shoulder to give him a dirty look, "What do you want me to do? I'm sorry I'm not like, dancing with joy but--"

            "I meant literally, your hands... I know I said that before but you don't look healthy. --Sorry! That was a dumb thing to say. But... I'm just worried about you."

            "Well I'm not healthy! So stop asking me about it." Jack kept up his brisk walk without looking back.

            "Wait!"

Jack turned around with a frustrated expression. Karl folded his hands and smiled sheepishly.

            "I forgot my hat."

 
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     November 15th, 2013
     By:  Kelly

ARGHHH! Sorry guys, life was a pile of butts lately. Not even good butts. Bad butts. Terrible butts. But-- (haha, geddit?), I think it should be better now and I can catch up with things here. We're almost done with this little um, months long diversion, and on to Chapter 10 at long last! And the bonus page which has not been forgotten, I am filled with determination and stuff.

BTW for the interested, you can read my NaNoWriMo in progress here on Horror Boys. It's horribly un-edited and for anyone who writes and know what this means -- I'm a non-outliner. o_o So don't expect too much!

Oh, also, we have a special, secret KF project we will be announcing shortly. I can't wait. :B

            TRANSCRIPT: This is the text of the comic, for purposes such as translation and internet searches.

Top Text)

   Karl had to gather his wits, he hated getting called out. It was bad enough at work, but he could usually write that off as not his fault or not a big deal. This time though, he really did have something to be guilty about. He felt like he needed to defend himself, but was it even something he could defend? But it was almost ten years ago, did he need to feel bad about it now?

 

1.)

(In the chilly artificial blue light of Eis Bar, Karl bears a mild hopeless and plaintive expression.)

KARL: I know I fucked up big time but isn't it a little extreme to just disappear forever? We were teenagers. Can't a kid fuck up sometimes?

2.)

(Jack stares in annoyance. He doesn't even want to answer that.)

3.)

(Jack bears a sheisty "changing the subject" -styled expression.)

JACK: Anywayyyy it all turned out for you didn't it?

KARL: What?

4.)

(A comically rendered vision of the past, with Karl in a lettermans jacket arm in arm with Cerise, frolicking under a cheery sky.
      Attending are two blue birds with tiny banners reading "I <3 YOU." Music notes and lyrics float above.
)

JACK: (intertitle) Yeah you were all...

CHEESY LYRICS: OH MY SUNSHINE GIRL! SUNSHINE OF MY WORLD!

5.)

(Karl is appalled at this misinformation, just shocked. Jack is thinking back...)

KARL: Wh-what the-- NO! How did you get THAT idea?!

JACK: Stevia said you guys were pretty serious.

6.)

(Karl facepalms in lament once more, visions of Stevia and Curlyfry floating around his head. Stevia is grinning with the steepled fingers of the heartless, Curly is in a green baggy t-shirt and neon magenta tights. The T-shirt bears triangles that match the pants, a slightly darker green dinosaur breathing similarly colored flames, and the word "COOL." She has dorky teeth and is flying through the air in her usual way.)

KARL: God. Friggin' Stevia...

VISION OF STEVIA: HA HA HA

KARL: Speaking of little monsters, what happened to your minion?

VISION OF CURLYFRY: NEVER FORGIVE

7.)

(Curlyfry is in graduation regalia - cap and gown - as multicolored confetti rains about her. She has hands on hips looks triumphant.)

JACK: (intertitle) Danielle? She's no minion, she's smarter than both of us put together.
                        She graduated after I dropped out, went to medical school.

8.)

(In a flashback of a drab office, nervous buttoned down Jack is being reassured by hospital-wear Danielle. Both smile.)

JACK: (intertitle) She helped me get my first legal job.

9.)

   (A different flashback and a different office sees a considerably less tattooed Karl
sheepishly greeting a college professor who has given his crappy paper an "F minus."
   She is thin and drawn from a lifetime of pure evil, and very cross with him.
)

KARL: (intertitle) Damn. Guess I'm the loser. I lost touch with almost everyone, struggled through college,

10.)

(Yet another flashback location sees slightly more tattooed Karl laboring and catching the eye of a leering Hans Farrell.)

KARL: (intertitle) Got a job at a printer, Started working at a local paper.

11.)

(Back in the present, Karl leans back in sour defeat and Jack sits up straight with an inquisitive look.)

JACK: Wow, you're a reporter?

KARL: Yeah, kinda.

JACK: For the Times?

KARL: No...

JACK: The Herald?

KARL: No...

JACK: City Arts?

KARL: Man... No. The fucking Masher.

Interstitial Text)

        "Oh..." Jack squinted his eyes, trying to remember, "the one with the h--"

        "Yes, the one with the hooker ads." Karl slumped further in his seat.

        "Well, that's cool though... I read that for a while..."

This was always an awkward conversation with people, the Masher was well-loved by some scary hipsters, and reviled by most others because the paper had dissed their tastes, politics, lifestyles, genders, sexuality, country of origin, or personal humanity. And because Hans Farrell, in general.

        "Heh," Karl said, "I always wondered if you'd see my name in the paper and we'd get in contact again."

Jack actually looked a little sympathetic, "I stopped reading it a few years ago, after they cut the comics page."

        "Ah. Yeah, a lot of people did."

Jack tapped his phone against the table, and took a glance, considering something.

 

12.)

(Jack looks at his phone idly.)

JACK: So if we hadn't talked today, you'd be going around thinking you were cool?

13.)

(The view of Jack's phone shows Demetri's message from before, asking him to erase Karl's memories.)

KARL: (off panel) What? No... Wellll...

14.)

(Karl has an expression of appropriate shame.)

KARL: Honestly? ...Uh, yeah. Pretty much.

15.)

(Jack glares at him mercilessly.)

16.)

(Jack relaxes, rolls the eyes. Obviously annoyed that Karl is being all contrite and pathetic.)

JACK: *Sigh*

17.)

(Jack is getting up to leave.)

JACK: I think we're done here.

18.)

(Karl has leapt up and seized Jack's hand. He has a desperate, emotional look. Jack is surprised.)

KARL: No, wait! I can't just let you go again. I never wanted it to go that way! I'm so sorry!

19.)

(Jack still looks surprised, but he's starting to process this. Meanwhile, he seems to have allowed Karl to interlace fingers with him.)

KARL: You were really important to me and--I-I loved you! Please don't hate me! Please...!

20.)

(An awkward moment and Jack begins to withdraw his hand.)

JACK: ...I meant We're done *here* Like, this club.

KARL: Oh.

 

Bottom Text)

            "Er," Karl took a step back, "this is awkward."

Jack looked flustered, and was suddenly very interested in a bit of neon lighting nearby.

            "Are you okay?" Karl asked, and Jack turned to leave for the stairs.

            "No--I mean, I'm fine," Jack shook his head, "we should just get to my car, it's late."

            "Y-yeah, I just thought... you're so cold."

Jack glanced over his shoulder to give him a dirty look, "What do you want me to do? I'm sorry I'm not like, dancing with joy but--"

            "I meant literally, your hands... I know I said that before but you don't look healthy. --Sorry! That was a dumb thing to say. But... I'm just worried about you."

            "Well I'm not healthy! So stop asking me about it." Jack kept up his brisk walk without looking back.

            "Wait!"

Jack turned around with a frustrated expression. Karl folded his hands and smiled sheepishly.

            "I forgot my hat."

 
 
 
 
 
 
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