Thursday, March 17, 2011

The Greater Number 2: Hand of Karma part 3

  "I smell like a cardboard tree," complained Mbu.
  "You're alive," I replied.  We had found an abandoned car which had an air freshener in it and we rubbed it all over ourselves to mask the smell of fear.  One other things is that we had found the old lady was still alive.  When we were in the building at the top of the hill, a zombie had gnawed on her fingers and she ran out of the building.  We all assumed she was dead, but we found her later on.
  You see, when she had been a cook in the Navy, she had a terrible accident which lost her her right arm.  This got her out of the Navy with disability for the rest of her life.  Anyway, it also got her a prosthetic arm.  Well, since the zombie had gnawed on it, it was useless as an appendage unless she wanted an ungulate's dexterity.  Now the three of us wander the desert in search of that safe haven we had heard of on the radio.  Well, to be more accurate, that's what me and Mbu are doing.  She still thinks we're aliens leading her to our mother ship to take her to Mars.
  Mbu was bored so he tried to strike up a conversation.  "So you say you were in the Navy, huh, Helen?"
  "Are you Shinies doing research on human culture so that you can live among us?"
  "Yeah, I guess you could say 'I have a dream'."
  "I was a cook on board a huge man-made metal vessel called an aircraft carrier."
  "Oh yeah?  I had a friend who had an uncle who was an admiral in the Navy in World War 2.  He was in charge of an entire fleet of destroyers.  The actions of his fleet were decisive in a major naval battle."
  I looked at Mbu incredulously.  "Wow.  You had a friend?"  He punched me on the shoulder.
  "Yeah, yeah.  You're not the only person I know.  My dad did move back to the States two years before yours did.  As a matter of fact, I met Desmond before you came back," explained Mbu.
  "Hm.  Can we rewind to the part where I asked you to tell me your life's story?" I jokingly asked.
  "No, but we can fast forward to the part where you wake up in a hospital."
  "Ooh, I'm so scared.  Hey Mbu, I gotta pee."
  "Pick a dune.  Any dune.  It's so dark out now, no one will see."
  Just then, Helen stopped us.  "There it is!"
  "There what is?" Mbu asked.
  "The mother ship.  We've found it!  You're finally gonna take me to Mars.  I'll be in the heavens!"  The quiet night time air was suddenly shattered by an ear splitting noise as Helen's head vaporized.

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