g was a physical weight, pressing

oving mechanically. Every time the phone

d. Arlis looked up an

ends with him, guys in boat shoes and pastel shirts wh

across his face, oily and satisfied. He walked

h disgust. "Dude, you really dragged

but carrying. "Just watch. This is ca

ng his fingers. "We need a menu. And

s face turning purple. Arlis int

to the table. Kyler looked up at

Hall thing. Don't you think you should focus on... this?" He

him. "What can I

And some advice. Give up. My dad kn

less concerned with my career and more concerned with the audit coming for t

on the table, curled into a fist, bunc

rri

r screamed. It was loud

second, her face draining of color. She

trembling. "It's for you. It'

Even the sizzling of the grill seemed to stop. K

able. He walked to the phone, his step

Arlis Z

ing your inquiry into Protocol 104. We have reviewed the

eld his

terview pool. Your interview is schedul

ike he'd been holding for forty

hone. He turned

tha whispered, cl

lis said. "I go

. Old Mr. Henderson clapped his hands. Frank let

," he spat. "You're just a filler candidate. The inte

ee," Arl

out, his friends trailing behind him lik

droom mirror. He wasn't looking at himself

weakness," he whispe

ticed the hand gestures-open palms, steeple fingers. He rehearsed the

ce she didn't recognize-confident, articulate, filled with words like "fiscal

it on the outside of the closet door, forcing himse