diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..50ad4a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+.ammonite
+.metals
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ActorDemo.sc b/ActorDemo.sc
index dd489ba..c82a23e 100755
--- a/ActorDemo.sc
+++ b/ActorDemo.sc
@@ -13,35 +13,47 @@ import akka.util.Timeout
 import scala.concurrent.duration._
 import akka.actor.typed.scaladsl.AskPattern._
 import scala.concurrent.ExecutionContext.Implicits.global
+import akka.actor.typed.scaladsl.AbstractBehavior
+import akka.actor.typed.scaladsl.ActorContext
+import scala.util.Success
+import scala.util.Failure
+import scala.concurrent.Await
+import scala.concurrent.Future
 
 object CounterActor {
-  sealed trait Command
-  final case object IncCount extends Command
   final case class CounterResult(count: Int)
-  final case class GetResult(sender: ActorRef[RootActor.Command])
-      extends Command
 
-  var counter = 0
+  sealed trait Command
+  final case object IncCount extends Command
+  final case class GetResult(sender: ActorRef[CounterResult]) extends Command
 
   def apply(): Behavior[Command] =
-    Behaviors.receive { (context, command) =>
-      command match {
-        case IncCount => counter += 1
+    Behaviors.setup(ctx => new CounterActor(ctx))
+
+  private class CounterActor(context: ActorContext[Command])
+      extends AbstractBehavior[Command](context) {
+    private var counter = 0 // encapsulated mutable state
+    override def onMessage(msg: Command): Behavior[Command] = {
+      msg match {
+        case IncCount =>
+          counter += 1
+          Behaviors.same
         case GetResult(sender) =>
           context.log.info(s"Value of counter is $counter");
-          sender ! RootActor.Reply(counter)
+          sender ! CounterResult(counter)
+          Behaviors.same
       }
-
-      Behaviors.same
     }
+  }
 
 }
 
 object RootActor {
   sealed trait Command
-  case class Reply[T](reply: T) extends Command
-  case object Begin extends Command
-  case object GetResult extends Command
+  final case class Reply[T](reply: T) extends Command
+  final case object Begin extends Command
+  final case class GetResult(repyTo: ActorRef[CounterActor.CounterResult])
+      extends Command
 
   implicit val timeout: Timeout = 3.seconds
 
@@ -63,10 +75,11 @@ object RootActor {
             counterActor ! CounterActor.IncCount
             counterActor ! CounterActor.IncCount
 
-          case GetResult =>
+          case GetResult(replyTo) =>
             counterActor ! CounterActor.GetResult(
-              context.self
+              replyTo
             )
+
         }
 
         Behaviors.same
@@ -77,13 +90,15 @@ object RootActor {
 
 @main
 def main() = {
-  implicit val rootActor =
+  implicit val system =
     ActorSystem(RootActor(), "TestActors")
 
   implicit val timeout: Timeout = 3.seconds
 
-  rootActor ! RootActor.Begin
-  rootActor ! RootActor.GetResult
+  system ! RootActor.Begin
+  // system ! RootActor.GetResult
 
-  Thread.sleep(1000)
+  val x: Future[CounterActor.CounterResult] =
+    system ? (ref => RootActor.GetResult(ref))
+  Await.result(x, 1.second)
 }
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5cb088b..30db07a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -3,15 +3,15 @@
 An experiment to see how the actor model can be used to synchronize / encapsulate mutable state without the use of locks.
 
 ## Usage
-``` bash
-./ActorsDemo.sc
-```
 
-Sample output: 
+```bash
+./ActorsDemo.sc
 ```
-22:11:47.473 [TestActors-akka.actor.default-dispatcher-3] INFO ammonite.$file.ActorDemo$RootActor$ - --- Beginning ---
 
-22:11:47.475 [TestActors-akka.actor.default-dispatcher-6] INFO ammonite.$file.ActorDemo$CounterActor$ - Value of counter is 5
+Sample output:
 
-22:11:47.475 [TestActors-akka.actor.default-dispatcher-3] INFO ammonite.$file.ActorDemo$RootActor$ - Received message Reply(5)
-```
\ No newline at end of file
+```
+13:02:58.966 [TestActors-akka.actor.default-dispatcher-3] INFO ammonite.$file.AkkaActorsDemo.ActorDemo$RootActor$ - --- Beginning ---
+13:02:58.967 [TestActors-akka.actor.default-dispatcher-5] INFO ammonite.$file.AkkaActorsDemo.ActorDemo$CounterActor$CounterActor - Value of counter is 5
+CounterResult(5)
+```