At 8:30 they typed the lowercase i, at 8:45 the n, at 9 the t and so on they went until 9:45 when they came to the equal sign which resided in the theater.
"What is the theater used for?" Priscillia asked as they approached the entrance.
"The prisoners do skits and play music on the stage," the gardener replied. "There is also a big screen that they watch movies on usually in the evening. They have a stand up comedy improv going on right now. I have a feeling this might be awkward," he muttered as they entered the theater. There was a man with a microphone on the stage trying to get some laughs from 15 or 20 individuals that were scattered in the first few rows of chairs.
Priscilla and the gardener sat down in the third row on the right edge for a few minutes. Then they rose and walked to the gap between the stage and the chairs.
The comedian paused the story he was telling and looked down to his left where the gardener and Priscilla were standing back to back on top of a silver square.
"Excuse me, can I help you?" the comedian asked.
Priscilla gave a snarky shrug to the confused people in the audience.
"No carry on," the gardener nodded and they walked away having done what they came to do.
But the 10:45 character was the less than sign which was back in the theater. The same comedian was still telling stories. "He must have a lot of material," Priscilla thought. This time they came in and sat on the left side. They rose a few minutes later and walked again to the gap between the stage and the chairs.
The comedian paused and looked down to his right where Priscilla and the gardener were standing back to back again on top of the adjacent silver square which was for the less than sign.
"Can I help you people?" the comedian asked.
"Carry on," the gardener nodded and they walked away.
They typed through a few more characters and then ordered subs at the cafe.
"So, you told me yesterday you have a brother," the gardener said in between bites. “What is he like?”
"Quill? He's quiet but he's brave," she replied. "He really cares about people. I look up to him a lot even though I'm a year older. You grow close to someone when you stare death in the face every night."
"What do you mean?" the gardener asked.
"We all understand that every night may be our last in this life," Priscilla replied. "I think perhaps it brings out the best in you. It makes you thankful for everyone you have and for every moment you have with the people around you."
"And it opens up sides of you that you would have never found otherwise if you had a peaceful life." the gardener injected.
"I guess," Priscilla complied. “But I look forward to the next life when we won't have this daily fear. I’ve felt more lonely since my brother started dating. He's talking like this is the girl he's going to propose to someday. It's a little painful. It should have been me getting married first."
"To your boyfriend you mean?" the gardener asked.
"Yeah, after Sadier died, my brother told me that Sadier had talked to him about proposing to me," Priscilla replied. "I had a massive heartache to work through when my brother found a ring in Sadier's jacket after he died."
"I'm really sorry," the gardener replied. "I can't imagine."
"I'm sorry," Priscilla said. "I haven't hardly asked about you all day. I know they call you gardener here but what is your name beyond this place?"
"Paul," the gardener replied. "And yours?"
"Priscilla," she replied.
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