Neuromancer - Interlude

Molly relaxed against the car seat.
Slamming it into high-gear, she passed 1, 2, 3rd gear and kept revvin'.
It was unheard of-untoward her desires, she maxxed speed!
The sound was chaotic, revving action-pounded her sternum!
It was only a blunder, Case misread it- the dive went wrong!

Chapter 1
In the Underbelly of a Mean Street

Case jacked-in simstim. He felt her fear, gripping the wheel in terror, she bounded around a corner.
A pedestrian caught her eye - Case felt fear in his throat! He almost jacked-out, but that wasn't in it for him.
He'd have to remember the life that lived still on that corner forever ahead of his vision.
Such was a danger of sim-stimming. They don't say it on the box, all the error's it give's if you dive in unclean, ready for a quick jerk-off.
He coulda laughed the first time he did pantsless! It almost seemed him puddy-in-her-hands! She'd have felt him going off, if it wasn't for a quick turn-around!
He returned the first unit to the store, but kept it anyway! He was sure it was bugged, "Something in the software, dude! I thought she was pretty fit, but I felt myself feeling a dick!
It scared the shit outta me, man!!! Before I realized it was mine, I almost tore it off!" And not in a good way! He didn't make a joke, but the cashier just let him have it himself back-door inside the mainstream.
"Dude, you're crazy! You coulda got scared and left her there! What about a new-comer!? What if they jacked-in, and it wasn't sterile? What about the kids!?" Case just walked out! He wasn't ready to be told that way!
She slipped around another corner, Case was fearless, holding onto the wheel! CASE, it said, in the upper-left of her vision! She knew he was on-line! But it jumped her, still, when he appeared and she hadn't asked him to come along!
"It's a ride, man, just dig it!" She felt calmer, though, and could control the car as-if in slowspeed. It wasn't too heavy, for her, and for Case, a known danger was avoided! He couldn't black ice out in here like that! She'd make it through this alright!
Another danger of sim-stim was death-if the owner felt it time to die, you came with! Couldn't see through the other end, a terrorful consequence of the action-packed mainstream megadynamo, SimStip Corp's new reality series, Agent Death.
It sent soothing worries to his spine to calm himself down and just tether himself to the ride! It couldn't be right, could it? This feeling of enjoyment, he wanted to grip it, and change the gear's himself!

He jacked out, feeling in danger of ripping his trodes off and starting a war in himself! That's a danger he, himself, had to worry about! Simstim carried punishment as well as enjoyment! The fun wasn't a lost game, or a cause he couldn't handle-it was error-free, this time,
and though his judgement wasn't rocked off course, he could see it truly scared her to drive that thing that way!

It was hours later they parked alongside a dock, and wondered if they were safe!
CASE hanged out in the upper-right of her eye now, and it warmed itself away. Simstif wore off like a drug, as if she wasn't on the ice herself! Most time's, she might have a derm or six stringing off her wrist, and slapping one to her leg was old-hat. It was a key part of her existence now.
She needed that feeling of released, especially since epinepherine didn't do for you what acetominophen did in the drive. It was terror, and she felt it often. Her leg never healed from that day she caught it wrecked by a security guard. Major failure. He broke it right through to the other side.
She almost killed him, but if she's ever caught, she can say she's a victim, still. Almost unsure of what that meant, she never let her memorie's return of that day. Her drive forgotten, she couldn't relate the experience to her next employment. It seemed fair game. It could be anyone. Out there, Molly Millions was unknown.
One Mr. Johnson was a nifty excuse away to talk to. "Hey, you dealin'?" "No, I'm find, sugar. Just a little sore." "I can dig it!" And they'd join in-stream to watch the outbounded traffic. It dealt them a hard-blow, to her noggin' once, seein' the fierce stare's of her competitor's riling herself anew, but that was normal!
In this scene, it was just like normal to feel worried! She'd started, once, "You know, I'm a-" and cut herself off! Wouldn't have made the money it suggested! Not one of her "old" client's, not a new one either! A Mr. Johnson, stillshine suit and lacked-away hair, feature's that rest on a nothingness. Case hated it, but he wore what he wore.
He coulda been tried a doctor thousand's of time's! Grey military khaki's that stood out on the street, a dealer-likin' attitudeless hopehound, he couldn't box worth a shit! So he told himself, be steady, be calm, don't fight it, man! And he relaxed into the street again, almost wholesome, for him! It was Case Henry Dorsett, not Henry Dorsett Case, who he was,
who he is, but the dealer-attitude youngman who can't say no to a good crack at a waiter! "Hey, betting's off, man! How's my sister!?" He'd say, before he cracked a blow! Haha, and it lit a terror in the undergoer's! Not a second too soon, the cop's arrived, in a larger police vehicle than he expected! Almost caught up to him, and this is how it is!?
He screamed and let loose a series of punches that denied his terror! Balked, at the ready cuff's on him in second's hands filled with terror, he baked around a corner and ran! He threw away his drug's, and sought the street's terrorful gaze upon him! Would he be on TV!? It was only a drug, man! This scene, this shitty fucking scapeful scene contest I live in!
Hallelujah! And he was home! He almost lost it, flinging himself onto the temperfoam! Why would I ever leave it like this!? It is what it is! My man, said to no-one in particular, and that he is! Home-again free! I am KING, baby! He almost cried! Out a few thousand nu-yen and crippled pink, he lost his drugs, man! Betathenelethylamine or no, he couldn't take it, man!
He caved in and called a ride. To his dealer, he wasn't unknown, almost a sure-face fighter in the wind! Whatever he was dealing wasn't enough, never was, could be if he tried, he said once! To him, Case was a barebones buyer. Always trying to rip him off! Calling police would be weird, so he didn't see to it to crack his noggin', but man, that dude is a fucking loser! He'd scream after a deal!
So he wouldn't let Case in on anything he had, if he had anything! Like, fucking right, my man!? After you tried to run off with my last sell out contestant wear's!? He almost spat at him on the street! Running from a drug-dealer wasn't a fun game, but it saved time! He couldn't get anymore today, anyway! The dude was dry, he guessed! He hoped that man wasn't clean, now! Like he is for now! Man, what a drag!
He lit a cigerette and almost choked! He couldn't smoke in his hotel room, they'd kick him right out if the sensor's picked it up! So he almost swallowed it whole! Funny, right!? Fuckin' funny, dude down below!!! He almost screamed out! Tired of it, he rolled over and began to hack into a network! It was a SenseNet buoy in the ocean, one he'd had marked for a lifeline if he needed it! No Paradise at the ready, he sought dangerously
this time a new lead! Not a million or more, at the ready! Jack-in! He thought to himself in a glorydaze! And rafted it! Tight spin to the left, almost got nigged, holy shit! They have black ice and I went in without my extra head! Holy shit, dude, I'm cowboy rockin' it! This'll be big! He gloated in his heart, half-heavy from the day with Molly! Forgotten to say, to himself, that he cared, and he didn't, no glory in it! Not that kinda fun for him game, she played!
Ice out of the way, he creeped in on a little lonesome number; some little ice-block protected, non-RAM object floating in space! Try as he might, he couldn't grasp it in his hands! It was all it could be, out there, alone and in danger! He thought, and brought it closer to the view-screen, to take a peak at it! What in the world!? It was over 500 years old! And not any use, that is it! I'm done with this hacking game! The sea-buoy was a fucking misfire! He told himself it was right to care!
He'd get a drinking story out of it! How he cowboy'd into a buoy to see it was over, he said, stoically in peril, 500 years older than that last one I hacked into! It was, instead, just a buoy. Non-military, satellite or orbitting anything, not important! Couldn't even be hacked-into! But he did, and it's little system's took it hard and in it's ass! What a world, what a view of it! From that height, though! He had to be seen, flying this shallow boat in the water back to Ratz' bar and not a second too soon!
The Chatsubo was clogged with fisherman, that day. He was heavy, hongry and tired, horny over dirt! He tried questioning the local's, but not even Con seemed to care! "What about being a buddy and buying me a drink, padre? It's only a couple nuyen!" "Punk!" he replied back, threatened with angsting himself up a cupboard of whoopass on the little delver! Like you shouldn't care, my man, I just had a hackin' run you thought of! Better off buyin' me a drink, my little man! I got seaboarded OFF A CLIFF! He said, to Con!
"What, again with that? It's like I'm a videogame character to you!" He laughed and downed his Kirin Draft! Like a thirsthound, William Gibson peaked over and said, "Hey, whose a housecat? Can I get a layover in yer story?" I said, my man, I'm not an angel! And left it at that! The Chatsubo was packed! Peak-filth hour, and not a lonely sort in the bunch! So Lonny's kids weren't even ready for it! The plunge into the drink, they called it! Better off drunk, ya hear! Come on in, a party's startin'! And they worked it over beefbrat's
and sightseer liquor! LeBronz, Hardshammer, and Wilkshine! Whisker's lickin' good eat's, too! They all roared in a passionate glaze, by the night's end! One-good-day at the Chatsubo, ya hear! Ratz made a killing, he often wondered if it was keen to say to himself, and left to retreat to TV land again! As if he could sleep it off, the drugs never a secret to those around him! Chewing tablet's to make his arm work, worked up a heavy sweat, and he showered it off in his scubatub! Diving under the wave's, he imagined himself back in Russia, before the war!
It was a hacker's rejoiceyment, but he wondered, can they be all clean and smear-free now!? He wanted a layabout virgin killer, to hang out! To hear him rumble and cry! Oh, my sweet Russia, lady's abounded! Not a dry-spell in the tavern tonight, my dear! I am clear, in the clear I feel! So fuckin' Russian, my man! I am not at home here! He started to cry over his arm, and his hangover-cure medicine, but it didn't work! Wearing off, it was a hard time! He shook and scrabbled to his feet! It wasn't cool to be seen, like this, or anywhere! Out there, was a Russia he couldn't forget.

In the scene-haver, a dream was kept. William Gibson, keep it long, a story for the scuba-diver. And a cent for the poor!? He tossed it to the virgin-killer whore he just laid! As if he could treat-it-well! Oh, it burned! But he studied-up on the cure, another lay! Not in his pocket, this change is all I have! Pathetic virgin-killer, be gone! And she was kicked out of his-bed! Siamese style, laying on the floor, cringing. Do I gotta leave, man? Not yet! Lemme take a shower in your bathroom, first! We could do it again if you have the cash! You ain't poor or nothing, old man? She sweetened up a fist and
called him a whore! What nerve! With one punch, he laid her out and threw her on the street in a cold daze! Fucking shut it the hell up, you dirty whore! And he kicked smoke at her face! If he heard about it, he'd tell the whole world what a bad-ass he was! Kicking a girl laying over! Nice to see it happen, again, he himself thought! What a nice guy I am! So, Lonny'd just get his pay, William would be a loser, and the girl would be paid, too. Not again, bur again and again, layover-style. He picked at his teeth. Something to eat, maybe? And flicked over to his TV-watching style-gazer shoe's in the mud heaven by the scent.
It stunk.

"Not another novel, Curtis. Make me read one, sometime!" So I wrote him a letter! Ha-Ha! It stunk, fire and readily available gasoline! I don't chew the noose, so it was easy-pickin's! We started readin' a story together on-line, and it was a hoot! Bare Naked at Clay's, he called it! Some sexmistress publisher on DimaADozen! It was worth the 12.99 and tax we paid to harness it's power! We, ourselves writer's without a block, would care about it! It wasn't a scenesetter, so we'd seem cool to seem it! How uncanny, this valley of hopeful daze! Another night, another Chatsubo-dare, and a date in heaven with a minx we couldn't date! A laid, night in style TV affair.
We laid in, for day's, writin'. And it seemed heavy! To Case, our friend, he was but a lonesome sort, out on the buoy! Would his story sing true!? Could he write about it!? No, as a Cowboy, it's slim-pickin's if he want's a job! Last one almost killed-a man!!! It was glans-heavy, we roared in laughter! He poisoned your glan's, we said!? In unison, the entire bar was chaotic with laughter! What a loser! Case was pathetic! A man on edge, he backed away and told 'em all to SHUT UP! It was a sight! The cop's'd never fear 'im, not after that! He'd keel over before they touched his skin! One leg-in-the-sand day, and he couldn't even write about it! The Chatsubo was a writer's bar, and I frequented
many for my style! Hootananny's, Big Green's, and Pueblo's, almost a cafeteria-name! But Shin's was all there was in this a-apocalypse chowder hall minx region of Japan! Ex-pat's and lovin' it, we weren't cool to the youth! Lonny Zone was it, at that again! A helmaster to us all, he was a louzy nerd! Readin' our book's while they worked a hand on it! Ahhh, the freedom of the chase-GONE! Freedom of that lousy Case, not forgettin' we wanted it often! Ah, tug-a-ring and enjoyment was had, against her soft skin or face! It was a kick-in-the-nuts and the pocket, for sure, but it was our dance!
Not a night went by without us dancin' it, either! At that hall or another, if Lonny bowed out of street-eval caraffair, if he'd sensed Cloud Dancer's in another tavern! It was his drug of choice, and he'd meant it! On a gram or more a yearly pay aday away, we'd sing! I wouldn't try it on twice or more, forever! But we'd all partied up high as a kite once or twice when he made it big! And we all did, quite often! So they say, STAY OUT OF THE CHATSUBO HIGH AND DRUNK! POLICE CHASE AWAY LOSER'S LIKE YOU! I DON'T! Give me some! Ratz, a kindful barkeep, wouldn't adore anything! But his steely gaze did melt under a drugged-up charade of happiness! He wouldn't date a whore, or that Brazillian kid, Mikhail or whatever!
He'd be hail'd in a cabever! But, Cheap Hotel wasn't home to us, and Case went away; farewell! Forgotten hero! Of old, to affair, too glory for us hound's! Tooth in a whale! Stay a while! And listen! If you catch a babe with a kiss, tell us how you did it, my man!? We wailed with laughter and eased it in, on home, to Straylines or whatever that villa was called these day's! It hung in the air effervescent and unkind to the eye! A stinky, straylight of the old ego-torn cadaver that was the Tessier-Ashpool family! A dead king ressurected in less than an hour! Or was it a clone, again!? He wouldn't be here to laugh with us! So rich and famous he wasn't! So we know it all, and care less than that! Old Chatsubo High!

We danced in a daze all that night!