Re: Alex/Atticus
Watched the kid play. Knew this place was a vintage novelty to the kid. Could tell by the age, the expression, the skinniness that stubbornly clung to young bodies. Sipped his beer. Wondered, for the first time, if he missed teaching. Hadn't thought about it during his downward spiral. Pre-island. Allowed himself to think about it now, as the numbers on the screen ticked higher and higher. Watched the kid's hands for a minute. Couldn't remember when he'd last moved anything that fast. But had liked arcades. Hadn't been many up in fishing country, but there had been plenty of them before. Before. After. His childhood was broken in up into before and after. But his mom had liked the local mall. Had spent a lot of quarters in those days.
Chuckled when the kid cursed and crouched. Had one arm on the top of the machine now. Lazily. Sipped his beer with the other. Wasn't making it last. The beer. Intended to get himself another one in a minute. Just because he was out and alive didn't mean he wanted to do it sober. "Next time," he said of the kid almost having it this time. Second place. Rough. Old people would tell him that runner-up was great, but Atticus knew kids. Knew runner-up was just first-loser. Glanced at the beer the kid hefted. Didn't lecture.
Glanced from the machine, to the kid. Back again. "It's been a couple of decades. Don't expect too much from me," he suggested. Handed over the beer. Was surprised to find no money required. Had a few quarters and bills in his pocket, but the machine spit the quarters right back out. All right.
The numbers ticked much more slowly for Atticus than they had for the kid, and his tapping was slower, rusty. The worst was his hand-eye coordination. Was doomed from the start, but still gave it his all, watching the screen, tapping. Slapping. And then he was out of lives, and the last explosion made him chuckle at himself. Sucked, really. Shameful. But didn't care. Reached for the beer and took it back. "Atticus," he said, introducing himself. Didn't know the kid, but also had no real concept of how long he'd been on the island. Could be a whole new generation of kids in Repose now.
Wondered what Billy was up to. Wondered what Janus was up to. Knew Steve wasn't around. Curiously: "New in town?"