Sometimes

Max lay face down on the asphalt, a pool of blood spreading out around him water from a reservoir.  Frank was the first one there; he turned over Max to see the gaping wound in his chest.

"Christ on a pony," Frank stated. He tried to stop the blood from escaping Max's body by slamming his palm over the wound, but to no avail.

"Oh no," Angst said. "This can't be happening. Not now." Angst turned her eyes from Max's body; she saw Suki approaching and went to her, to shield the young girl. Even though Suki had seen a lot, Angst didn't want her to see Max this way.

"It's not stopping!" Frank cried out in vain. Blood covered his hands so that it looked like he was wearing red surgical gloves. "Someone get Maggie! NOW!!!"

"It's no use, Frank. He's gone," Goner said after checking Max's pulse.

"He c-c-an't be," Suki yelled. "He's Max!"

"Now, now, child," Angst said in a motherly tone towards Suki. Angst herded Suki off to one side and you could hear the sobs coming from her. A river of tears began to flow and it spread like a contagion as Angst, Goner and now Frank seemed to be caught in its snare.

Max's lifeless eyes where staring up at the heavens, and with a wave of his hand Frank closed them.

"Cut!" a voice shouted out. "THAT WAS AWESOME! It's a wrap!"

Max's eyes fluttered open. He saw Frank, Goner, Angst, and Suki standing around him; beyond that he saw two dozen other bodies now moving about. All seemed to be in a state of celebrating something that just happened.

"That's it boys and girls," the voice said. "We've done all we could do, now it's up for the editors and FX crew to work their magic."

He didn't know what happened. He stared down at the gaping wound in his chest, his finger examining the wound, and he brought his finger up to his nose to smell. Sugary red syrup.

"Let me help you up, buddy,"Frank said to him as he offered his hand. "I think that scene has Oscar written all over it!"

"Denver," Suki said as she came over to Frank. "Are you going to The Den for the wrap party?"

"I'll be over later, Lon-Rii. Need to shower and get this shit off me."

Max sat there and looked around, a dumbfounded look on his face.

"What do you think Aaron?" Frank asked him. "You think we'll get a nomination this time around?"

Do You Feel That?

Max stepped out from his apartment, stopped and looked up at the morning sky; he saw the three red blinking eyes flying overhead. He was dressed in a pressed white t-shirt and had on khakis and nice brown dress shoes. His hair was cut and styled much akin to a James Dean movie.

He tipped a wave to the blinking eyes and then moved merrily on his way, whistling a tune. The sun was rising and the birds were singing, as if in unison and in a very Disneyesque way. Max shuddered slightly but still held his composure.

He walked with a spring in his step and a smile upon his face.

"Morning Max," the newspaper vendor said to him. The vendor had just opened his stand, and was laying out the newspapers in neat stacks, alphabetical order.

"Morning," Max acknowledged as he flipped a dollar coin onto the stand and took a paper. He tucked it underneath his arm.

"You going to the Renewal event?" the vendor ask. "It promises to be the grandest one yet."

"You'd have to be some sort of nut to miss it!" Max exclaimed excitedly. "I heard the morning announcer declare it was going to be quite the event this afternoon."

Max continued down the street; he passed by other shops and buildings and waved at shop keepers and passersby with friendly greetings. When no one seemed to notice and the three eyes had passed over the city, Max ducked down an alley. He made sure it was dark and that there was a balcony overhead.

He fished out a bent cigarette from the the fold in his pants and put it to his lips.

After he took a puff he fished out a cellphone and hit a speed-dial number.

"Professor, you got to get me the fuck out of here!" he said in a whispered voice. "One more day here and I will go on a rampage like this reality has never seen!"

"Now Max," the Professor's voice came through the phone among the static. "We are working on it at our end. Hold on!"

The Hunger

INT. FRANK'S CAR - EVENING
FRANK is driving down a busy street. MAX is riding shotgun. ANGST is sleeping in the backseat. 
FRANK is dressed in a dark suit and a loose tie over a neon yellow shirt. MAX has a t-shirt that declares SUBMIT on it. He is dressed in khakis, and has a cigarette dangling from his lips. ANGST is covered up in with a blanket in the back seat.

FRANK
Well. What do you want to do this evening?

MAX
I really don't know. It's feels like years since I haven't done anything in a while. Feels weird not doing anything.

FRANK
You wanna shoot some pool?

MAX
Nah.

FRANK
Catch a game at the arena. The Blues are in town this evening.

MAX
Not my cup of action.

FRANK
How about a movie?

MAX
I really don't want to subject myself to another reality at the moment.

FRANK
You're a heck of a date.

MAX taps FRANK's shoulder and points to the BURGER REDUX restaurant that is up ahead.

MAX
I could go for a tasty burger though.

FRANK
(laughing)
Anything you want JULES.

Infinity Radio

"Staff meeting," Angst called out as she walked through the room. She cuffed Goner on the side of the head. "That means you too Gonzo!"

"Oh geez, do we have to?" Goner replied. He set the pile of vinyl on the edge of his desk. "What's the gripe this time around?"

"Don't know. Don't care," Angst replied. She continued to walk through the office proclaiming the news from the head honcho.

Frank was by the coffee maker, pouring himself a fresh cup of java. Max came out of the booth and stopped to get a cup.

"You know what this is about?" Max asked.

"Don't have a clue," replied Frank. "Ain't you on the air?"

"Well, I'm a clone," Max said with a wink. "So I can get away with it."

"Playing some taped, eh?" Frank asked.

"A good disc-slinger never reveals his trade secrets," Max said...