For those of you who have never heard of it, Vocal Point is this one Mormon singing group. I found this rather amusing video online, and thought you might like to see it. Thayne, if you read this, this song is right up your alley.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZKnq9oihZw&feature=related
You have to go to this sight yourself, since I don't know how to open links or anything high-tech like that.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Are people reading this, or am I just writing to myself?!
I need to make sure that people are reading my serial. Does anyone have any comments, questions, or concerns about it? If you have any complaints, please keep them to yourself. Anything else is great.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Freegans part 12
Cara
When I woke up, I found myself curled into Matt's shoulder. He was still asleep, and I held still, so I wouldn't wake him up. Remembering what had happened earlier, I felt hot with embarrassment. I don't like crying in front of people, preferring to go somewhere else and do it in private, and now I had just made an emotional scene right in front of Matt! It was especially embarrassing, since I always try not to act emotional in front of my friends. Maybe it's because I don't have parents, but I always feel this need to act tough, and not to show weakness.
Out of the corner of my eye I surveyed our fellow inmates, noticing that my eyes seemed to have grown accustomed to the darkness. Madiza was curled up in a ball, whimpering and rattling her chains in her sleep. Ben was still meditating. Lucy wasn't back yet. Just then Matt stirred, and woke up. Looking at me, he asked, "Do you feel better?"
I nodded, blushing. However, there was no mockery in his eyes, only genuine concern. That made me feel a little better.
"Sorry about that," I said. "I acted silly, and-"
"Ssh. It's okay. Everyone loses control once in a while," Matt reassured me. I smiled weakly. Then my mood was improved a little more by the guards coming back and throwing Lucy into the cage. Though cut and bleeding on one side of her face, she was alive. That was all that mattered.
When I woke up, I found myself curled into Matt's shoulder. He was still asleep, and I held still, so I wouldn't wake him up. Remembering what had happened earlier, I felt hot with embarrassment. I don't like crying in front of people, preferring to go somewhere else and do it in private, and now I had just made an emotional scene right in front of Matt! It was especially embarrassing, since I always try not to act emotional in front of my friends. Maybe it's because I don't have parents, but I always feel this need to act tough, and not to show weakness.
Out of the corner of my eye I surveyed our fellow inmates, noticing that my eyes seemed to have grown accustomed to the darkness. Madiza was curled up in a ball, whimpering and rattling her chains in her sleep. Ben was still meditating. Lucy wasn't back yet. Just then Matt stirred, and woke up. Looking at me, he asked, "Do you feel better?"
I nodded, blushing. However, there was no mockery in his eyes, only genuine concern. That made me feel a little better.
"Sorry about that," I said. "I acted silly, and-"
"Ssh. It's okay. Everyone loses control once in a while," Matt reassured me. I smiled weakly. Then my mood was improved a little more by the guards coming back and throwing Lucy into the cage. Though cut and bleeding on one side of her face, she was alive. That was all that mattered.
Freegans part 11
Lucy
When they came back, it was with a hypodermic needle in Gwilliam's hand. I felt my heart leap into my mouth. He held it up to my face, and pressed a little on the syringe, letting some of the burgundy liquid inside drip out.
"Do you know what this is, Freegan?" he hissed. I shook my head wordlessly.
"It's a highly developed toxin. Just one drop of it in your system is enough to kill you. And I warn you, it would be a long, agonizing death. If I wanted, I could stick you with it right now. By the time it had done its work, you would be begging to tell me what I want to know."
I swallowed nervously. Then the vice president smiled, showing even white teeth.
"However, killing you would be too easy. So you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to inject one of your friends instead. That is, if he or she doesn't give me the information instead. I would do it now, but to show you what a generous person I am, I'll let you have an hour to say goodbye to whichever one I choose." He nodded to the guards. "Take her away."
As the guards freed my wrists and got ready to take me away, I snarled, "We won't tell you anything, scum!" It came out very squeaky and weak-sounding, not like I'd intended. I'd been meaning to sound more like Cara would in my situation. She is probably the bravest person I know, and also the most impudent.
Despite not coming out all that impressive, it had the desired effect. Gwilliam turned red, and hit me in the face again.
"Oh, you're very brave, hitting someone who can't fight back! You disgust me!"
"Get...her...out...of...my...sight!" the vice president snarled through his teeth. Inside I felt a slight satisfaction at being able to get a rise out of him. It was instantly quenched by a feeling of dread. I had just given either Matt or Cara a death sentence!
When they came back, it was with a hypodermic needle in Gwilliam's hand. I felt my heart leap into my mouth. He held it up to my face, and pressed a little on the syringe, letting some of the burgundy liquid inside drip out.
"Do you know what this is, Freegan?" he hissed. I shook my head wordlessly.
"It's a highly developed toxin. Just one drop of it in your system is enough to kill you. And I warn you, it would be a long, agonizing death. If I wanted, I could stick you with it right now. By the time it had done its work, you would be begging to tell me what I want to know."
I swallowed nervously. Then the vice president smiled, showing even white teeth.
"However, killing you would be too easy. So you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to inject one of your friends instead. That is, if he or she doesn't give me the information instead. I would do it now, but to show you what a generous person I am, I'll let you have an hour to say goodbye to whichever one I choose." He nodded to the guards. "Take her away."
As the guards freed my wrists and got ready to take me away, I snarled, "We won't tell you anything, scum!" It came out very squeaky and weak-sounding, not like I'd intended. I'd been meaning to sound more like Cara would in my situation. She is probably the bravest person I know, and also the most impudent.
Despite not coming out all that impressive, it had the desired effect. Gwilliam turned red, and hit me in the face again.
"Oh, you're very brave, hitting someone who can't fight back! You disgust me!"
"Get...her...out...of...my...sight!" the vice president snarled through his teeth. Inside I felt a slight satisfaction at being able to get a rise out of him. It was instantly quenched by a feeling of dread. I had just given either Matt or Cara a death sentence!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Greetings from the equator
Hey, everyone! For those of you curious as to my whereabouts, I am right now basking in the sun of Costa Rica! It's a gorgeous country, with its own set of volcanoes. In fact, just today I got to go and see one. Even now it is belching smoke and sitting in a vast lake that looks like pea soup that's been sitting in the fridge for a month. I love the weather, though Dad doesn't like the heat. Why he came on this trip is beyond me.
When I first got here on a red-eye flight, I had a serious case of jet lag, and had to take a nap before dinner. Even now I'm still not used to the time difference. In lighter news, I went to some cool museums, and got my picture taken a lot. Dad is under the misapprehension that any facial expression I have that is not a smile is a scowl. He can't seem to recognize a middle mood.
There are several other families here with us, including a Hindu family from Texas with two really whiny kids who don't like the food, which is why Mom never took me anywhere fun when I was little. Except Disney Land. The food at our hotel is absolutely exquisite, and I gorge myself at almost every meal. My eyes may be bigger than my stomach, but at least they appreciate a good meal. Well, my time is almost up. The internet here is limited to thirty minutes, so catch y'all later.
When I first got here on a red-eye flight, I had a serious case of jet lag, and had to take a nap before dinner. Even now I'm still not used to the time difference. In lighter news, I went to some cool museums, and got my picture taken a lot. Dad is under the misapprehension that any facial expression I have that is not a smile is a scowl. He can't seem to recognize a middle mood.
There are several other families here with us, including a Hindu family from Texas with two really whiny kids who don't like the food, which is why Mom never took me anywhere fun when I was little. Except Disney Land. The food at our hotel is absolutely exquisite, and I gorge myself at almost every meal. My eyes may be bigger than my stomach, but at least they appreciate a good meal. Well, my time is almost up. The internet here is limited to thirty minutes, so catch y'all later.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Freegans part 10
Matt
We watched as Lucy was taken away. I gripped the bars of the cage so hard that it hurt, as if that could somehow bring our friend back. When it was dark again, Madiza relit the candle. I hadn't even realized that it had gone out until she held a match to it again. I turned to her and Ben.
"What are they going to do to her?" I asked.
"They told you, silly. They'll question her, and question her, and question her, until she spills the nectarines!" Madiza said.
I assumed she meant beans, but decided not to try and pursue the case.
"What if she doesn't talk?"
"Then that would be real bad. She may make them angry. You wouldn't like them when they're angry." That didn't sound good to me.
"What will they do?"
"They'll take her soul, so she'll never get to heaven. They nearly did that to me. They took my mind, but I was too clever for them, oh yes. They never got my soul. No, they didn't at all. Hee hee hee hee!"
I turned to give Cara a look. To my surprise, she wasn't there! For a moment I thought that she had somehow managed to escape. Then I realized that she was down by my feet, clutching at the bars of the cage, with her back to me. I noticed that her shoulders were shaking. Madiza had retreated back into her corner, and was singing a song to herself, with musical backup from her chains, and Ben was doing what looked like meditating.
I crouched down by Cara's side. "Hey, you okay?" I asked. Then I noticed that she was crying. Tears were pouring down her face, and running in two rivers. She was just barely suppressing loud sobs. When I asked the question, she couldn't help letting one sob loose. Gently I pried her hands from the bars, and turned her to face me.
"Hey, what is it?" I asked in a soft voice. Cara lifted a hand to wipe her eyes, then choked out, "I'm scared, Matt. I don't know how we're going to get out of here, or what they're doing to Lucy, or even if we're going to get out of here, or anything. I don't know what to do, and that scares me. I want to go home!"
With that she started crying again. She tried to stop the tears, and failed. I pulled her forward, and allowed her to cry into my shoulder. "It's all right," I whispered. "It's all right." We sat like that for a really long time, me holding Cara, and her crying. At one point she sat up and wiped her face, murmuring, "I must seem terrible to you right now."
"No. You're just fine," I said. Then Cara got more tears, and we went back to square one. Eventually she fell asleep like that, curled into my side like a little cat. I sat up for a while, watching our fellow inmates, before I fell asleep too, leaning my head on Cara's. Despite the circumstances, I felt pretty good.
We watched as Lucy was taken away. I gripped the bars of the cage so hard that it hurt, as if that could somehow bring our friend back. When it was dark again, Madiza relit the candle. I hadn't even realized that it had gone out until she held a match to it again. I turned to her and Ben.
"What are they going to do to her?" I asked.
"They told you, silly. They'll question her, and question her, and question her, until she spills the nectarines!" Madiza said.
I assumed she meant beans, but decided not to try and pursue the case.
"What if she doesn't talk?"
"Then that would be real bad. She may make them angry. You wouldn't like them when they're angry." That didn't sound good to me.
"What will they do?"
"They'll take her soul, so she'll never get to heaven. They nearly did that to me. They took my mind, but I was too clever for them, oh yes. They never got my soul. No, they didn't at all. Hee hee hee hee!"
I turned to give Cara a look. To my surprise, she wasn't there! For a moment I thought that she had somehow managed to escape. Then I realized that she was down by my feet, clutching at the bars of the cage, with her back to me. I noticed that her shoulders were shaking. Madiza had retreated back into her corner, and was singing a song to herself, with musical backup from her chains, and Ben was doing what looked like meditating.
I crouched down by Cara's side. "Hey, you okay?" I asked. Then I noticed that she was crying. Tears were pouring down her face, and running in two rivers. She was just barely suppressing loud sobs. When I asked the question, she couldn't help letting one sob loose. Gently I pried her hands from the bars, and turned her to face me.
"Hey, what is it?" I asked in a soft voice. Cara lifted a hand to wipe her eyes, then choked out, "I'm scared, Matt. I don't know how we're going to get out of here, or what they're doing to Lucy, or even if we're going to get out of here, or anything. I don't know what to do, and that scares me. I want to go home!"
With that she started crying again. She tried to stop the tears, and failed. I pulled her forward, and allowed her to cry into my shoulder. "It's all right," I whispered. "It's all right." We sat like that for a really long time, me holding Cara, and her crying. At one point she sat up and wiped her face, murmuring, "I must seem terrible to you right now."
"No. You're just fine," I said. Then Cara got more tears, and we went back to square one. Eventually she fell asleep like that, curled into my side like a little cat. I sat up for a while, watching our fellow inmates, before I fell asleep too, leaning my head on Cara's. Despite the circumstances, I felt pretty good.
Answer to the age-old question
I know why a raven is like a writing desk! The answer is this: if you throw them out a window, both will fly. The difference is that the desk's flight time is a lot less than the raven's and it's landing is a lot rougher as well.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Emily Dickinson
I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us--don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know.
How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us--don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know.
How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!
Freegans part 9
Lucy
I'm not afraid to admit it: I was scared stiff. The men had to drag me up the stairs, because my legs had gone limper than wet spaghetti noodles. What were they going to do? I wondered. Would they use some kind of brain probe, or force the truth from me? I feared the worst.
I ended up being taken into a big room, and sat in a wooden chair at one end of a table. My wrists were chained to the table, and then the men left for a while. When they came back, it was in the company of a new man. As soon as I recognized him, I gasped. I knew him very well.
"Michael Gwilliam?!" I gasped. I couldn't believe it. I was about to be interrogated by the vice president of the United States!
He gave a thin-lipped smile that didn't look really happy. "I'm glad you recognize me," he said in an oily voice. Its tones sent my skin crawling. Gwilliam was a tall, well-built man in a pinstripe suit and a black shirt. He sat down across from me, and drummed his perfectly-manicured fingers on the table top. I couldn't help noticing that his fingers probably had more muscles than I had in my entire body.
Gwilliam suddenly spoke. "So, this is a Freegan. From the poster descriptions, I had half been expecting a little rat-child, or something all ragged. Frankly, I'm surprised. But no matter. Tell me, girl, where is McTavish keeping you? The president and I would really like to get rid of you once and for all, and to do that we need to find you. So tell me, and I'll let you and your friends go."
I cleared my throat, and then said, "I don't know what you're talking about." I was rewarded by Gwilliam backhanding me across the face. The back of my head snapped back, hitting the chair.
The rest of the questioning went downhill from there. The vice president, and occasionally his bodyguards, took turns hitting me, and trying to wrestle the location of the Freegan hideout from my lips. However, I'm pleased to say that I didn't tell them anything. Of course, I couldn't hide the fact that they were hurting me, but even if I had, it wouldn't have mattered anyway. They were mad, and rabid in their interrogation.
Finally, after about the sixtieth time of hitting me in the stomach, they stopped. One of the hired henchmen muttered, "This one is tougher than we thought."
"Should we terminate her, sir?" asked the other hood. Gwilliam was breathing hard through his mouth, and his teeth were bared in a horrible grimace. For a second I thought he was going to say yes, but instead he said, "No. Let's leave her here for a while, so she can think about it."
They left, probably to think up something worse to do to me. I made a weak attempt to free my wrists, and when that failed, I sat and wiped my face on my shoulder. It came away crimson. The pain hurt, but inside I felt good in knowing that I hadn't given in. It was partly the image of my family that had helped me. Right now I even missed Monica, and would never have lived with myself if she were hurt because of me. Partly it was because I remembered Matt and Cara, and how tough they were. But also, believe it or not, I was remembering my first glimpse of Ben. He was without a doubt the cutest boy I had ever seen, with those beautiful blue eyes. If Cara were reading this, she would be rolling her eyes in disgust. But it's true just the same. I had never seen eyes like those, or such a handsome face.
I'm not afraid to admit it: I was scared stiff. The men had to drag me up the stairs, because my legs had gone limper than wet spaghetti noodles. What were they going to do? I wondered. Would they use some kind of brain probe, or force the truth from me? I feared the worst.
I ended up being taken into a big room, and sat in a wooden chair at one end of a table. My wrists were chained to the table, and then the men left for a while. When they came back, it was in the company of a new man. As soon as I recognized him, I gasped. I knew him very well.
"Michael Gwilliam?!" I gasped. I couldn't believe it. I was about to be interrogated by the vice president of the United States!
He gave a thin-lipped smile that didn't look really happy. "I'm glad you recognize me," he said in an oily voice. Its tones sent my skin crawling. Gwilliam was a tall, well-built man in a pinstripe suit and a black shirt. He sat down across from me, and drummed his perfectly-manicured fingers on the table top. I couldn't help noticing that his fingers probably had more muscles than I had in my entire body.
Gwilliam suddenly spoke. "So, this is a Freegan. From the poster descriptions, I had half been expecting a little rat-child, or something all ragged. Frankly, I'm surprised. But no matter. Tell me, girl, where is McTavish keeping you? The president and I would really like to get rid of you once and for all, and to do that we need to find you. So tell me, and I'll let you and your friends go."
I cleared my throat, and then said, "I don't know what you're talking about." I was rewarded by Gwilliam backhanding me across the face. The back of my head snapped back, hitting the chair.
The rest of the questioning went downhill from there. The vice president, and occasionally his bodyguards, took turns hitting me, and trying to wrestle the location of the Freegan hideout from my lips. However, I'm pleased to say that I didn't tell them anything. Of course, I couldn't hide the fact that they were hurting me, but even if I had, it wouldn't have mattered anyway. They were mad, and rabid in their interrogation.
Finally, after about the sixtieth time of hitting me in the stomach, they stopped. One of the hired henchmen muttered, "This one is tougher than we thought."
"Should we terminate her, sir?" asked the other hood. Gwilliam was breathing hard through his mouth, and his teeth were bared in a horrible grimace. For a second I thought he was going to say yes, but instead he said, "No. Let's leave her here for a while, so she can think about it."
They left, probably to think up something worse to do to me. I made a weak attempt to free my wrists, and when that failed, I sat and wiped my face on my shoulder. It came away crimson. The pain hurt, but inside I felt good in knowing that I hadn't given in. It was partly the image of my family that had helped me. Right now I even missed Monica, and would never have lived with myself if she were hurt because of me. Partly it was because I remembered Matt and Cara, and how tough they were. But also, believe it or not, I was remembering my first glimpse of Ben. He was without a doubt the cutest boy I had ever seen, with those beautiful blue eyes. If Cara were reading this, she would be rolling her eyes in disgust. But it's true just the same. I had never seen eyes like those, or such a handsome face.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
A humble query
Hey, does anyone have any suggestions for my serial before it gets too weird? I'm starting to run out of ideas, and I need input. HELP!
Freegans part 8
Matt
I looked at Ben. He seemed sane, unlike his compatriot. Even if he was mute, there had to be some way to communicate with him.
"Can you understand me?" I asked. He nodded, then pulled out of his pocket a piece of paper and stub of pencil, then began scribbling furiously on it. Meanwhile, I turned to Madiza, and noticed that her wrists and ankles were in chains. Big, iron shackles that looked really uncomfortable. The ones around her ankles were attached to the wall in the far corner, which was why she had been staying in that area for most of the time. Cara and Lucy had seen them too, and cautiously walked over to her.
"Why do they chain you up?" asked Cara.
"It's so little old Madiza can't hurt anyone. They like to do that themselves," Madiza said. She snickered in a way that didn't sound really amused. She sat down, and rocked back and forth, singing in a haunting, high voice,
"See, saw, Margery Daw,
Jackie shall have a new mas-ter.
Jackie shall earn but a penny a day,
Because he can't work any fas-ter."
Ben, who had finished writing, handed me the paper, and I moved over into the candlelight to read it. It said, "I'm Ben. Pleased to meet you. This all may seem a little strange, but I will explain as best I can. Don't worry too much about Madiza: she's completely crazy. She was once a Freegan, who was captured and brought here long ago as an eight-year-old, I think. She was submitted to shock treatments and all other kinds of torture to try and get her to say where the Freegan hideout is, which eventually drove her around the bend. Now they just keep her here. I learned all of this from sitting for days and listening to her talk to herself, if you were wondering.
"I myself am here because I'm defective. I was born without a good singing voice, and the government brought me here to try and fix me, because they don't like the idea of anyone not being perfect. As a result of their experiments, I am now mute. They don't want to admit to failure, so they keep me here too. I don't know why they don't kill us, I just feel grateful to be alive. Are you Freegans too?"
"Yes," I said. "They'll probably try and torture us too, won't they?"
Ben nodded. He gestured for the paper, and began to write again.
At that moment Cara said from behind me, "I'm surprised you're not more like most consumerists. From what I've heard, there aren't any good ones left." I jumped about a foot, then turned to her.
"Cara, you know I hate it when you read over my shoulder like that," I said. She rolled her eyes. Then Ben handed me back the paper, and Cara and I both read it together.
"Living as a prisoner for several years kind of puts your life in perspective. I learned more by not being able to speak than I had in all the time I had gone to school. Of course, some of it was learned by listening to the ravings of a crazy lunatic, but it's amazing what you can learn from madness. In fact, there are times when she has brief bouts of sanity. Just wait."
At that moment, the door at the top of the stairs opened, and two big men came down the stairs. They came to the cage, opened it, and suddenly grabbed Lucy, dragging her out. We ran to the door, but before we could get there it was slammed and relocked.
"Where are you taking her?!" Cara screamed.
"For questioning," was the reply.
I looked at Ben. He seemed sane, unlike his compatriot. Even if he was mute, there had to be some way to communicate with him.
"Can you understand me?" I asked. He nodded, then pulled out of his pocket a piece of paper and stub of pencil, then began scribbling furiously on it. Meanwhile, I turned to Madiza, and noticed that her wrists and ankles were in chains. Big, iron shackles that looked really uncomfortable. The ones around her ankles were attached to the wall in the far corner, which was why she had been staying in that area for most of the time. Cara and Lucy had seen them too, and cautiously walked over to her.
"Why do they chain you up?" asked Cara.
"It's so little old Madiza can't hurt anyone. They like to do that themselves," Madiza said. She snickered in a way that didn't sound really amused. She sat down, and rocked back and forth, singing in a haunting, high voice,
"See, saw, Margery Daw,
Jackie shall have a new mas-ter.
Jackie shall earn but a penny a day,
Because he can't work any fas-ter."
Ben, who had finished writing, handed me the paper, and I moved over into the candlelight to read it. It said, "I'm Ben. Pleased to meet you. This all may seem a little strange, but I will explain as best I can. Don't worry too much about Madiza: she's completely crazy. She was once a Freegan, who was captured and brought here long ago as an eight-year-old, I think. She was submitted to shock treatments and all other kinds of torture to try and get her to say where the Freegan hideout is, which eventually drove her around the bend. Now they just keep her here. I learned all of this from sitting for days and listening to her talk to herself, if you were wondering.
"I myself am here because I'm defective. I was born without a good singing voice, and the government brought me here to try and fix me, because they don't like the idea of anyone not being perfect. As a result of their experiments, I am now mute. They don't want to admit to failure, so they keep me here too. I don't know why they don't kill us, I just feel grateful to be alive. Are you Freegans too?"
"Yes," I said. "They'll probably try and torture us too, won't they?"
Ben nodded. He gestured for the paper, and began to write again.
At that moment Cara said from behind me, "I'm surprised you're not more like most consumerists. From what I've heard, there aren't any good ones left." I jumped about a foot, then turned to her.
"Cara, you know I hate it when you read over my shoulder like that," I said. She rolled her eyes. Then Ben handed me back the paper, and Cara and I both read it together.
"Living as a prisoner for several years kind of puts your life in perspective. I learned more by not being able to speak than I had in all the time I had gone to school. Of course, some of it was learned by listening to the ravings of a crazy lunatic, but it's amazing what you can learn from madness. In fact, there are times when she has brief bouts of sanity. Just wait."
At that moment, the door at the top of the stairs opened, and two big men came down the stairs. They came to the cage, opened it, and suddenly grabbed Lucy, dragging her out. We ran to the door, but before we could get there it was slammed and relocked.
"Where are you taking her?!" Cara screamed.
"For questioning," was the reply.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Freegans part 7
Cara
I took a look at this girl. I kid you not, she was one of the scrawniest, most half-starved looking people I have ever seen. Her hair was white, and stood out in shocks all over her head. It looked like she had stuck her finger in an electric socket on a repeated basis. Her body type was tall and scrawny, as if instead of bones she had bits of wire covered by skin. She was also very pale, as if she had never seen the sun, or at least not in months. What interested me most was her eyes. They were a lot bigger than any eyes I had ever seen, and looked a bit like glass green marbles. On closer observation, as she gave a demented grin, I got the feeling that she didn't have many marbles up top.
"So, they finally decided to feed us! Hee hee hee hee, I've been starving down here!" she cackled, coming closer to us. She crouched down, looking Lucy in the face.
"Hmmm, you're a little scrawny, but you'll do." Then she looked at me and Matt. "Oh, I'm afraid you'd be impossible! We'd need to fatten you up! There's not enough meat to feed a mouse on you!" The girl stood up, and set the candle down on the ground by Lucy. Speak of the devil, I was really starting to feel concerned for her. She was getting the same facial expression as that of a rabbit in a trap.
"P-p-please don't hurt us," she squeaked. "We really don't taste very good."
At that moment the person who was apparently 'Ben-ben' stood up. He was of medium height, and looked slightly Native American, except for the fact that he had very intensely blue eyes. He put a hand on the girl's shoulder, in a matter that seemed to say 'Enough.' She gave him a hurt look, then said, "Oh, all right, Ben. You know best." Then she turned to us, and said, "Ben says no-no. Don't be afraid, we won't eat you."
"Then why-" Matt started to ask. I elbowed him, then whispered, "Isn't it obvious? She's not all there."
"Aren't I?" asked the girl, who evidently had really good hearing. She held out her arms. "See? I have all my arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, toes. How can you say I'm not all here?"
"I mean...forget it. Why are you here?" I changed the subject. Her eyes got wide, and she looked furtively from side to side. She leaned towards me, and whispered, "Promise you won't tell?"
"Yeah."
"The white coats know where I went," she said quietly.
"Where?"
"Down the rabbit hole. I've been down the rabbit hole, and now I know too much.They want to keep me quiet."
I tried to hide a smile as I asked, "Is your name by any chance Alice?" She blinked, looking puzzled.
"Alice?" Then comprehension dawned on her, and she laughed. "Oh, no. Not that famous. I'm Madiza."
"That's an interesting name," said Matt.
"Isn't it?" said Madiza with a smile. "Do you know where it comes from?" We, including Lucy, shook our heads.
"Because I'm as mad as a hatter!" she cackled, grinning again. We looked at each other. Our thoughts were clear: we had been placed in a cage with a nutcase.
"Why doesn't he say anything?" I asked, pointing to the boy. I heard a gasp, and saw Lucy staring at him almost like she had been hit by a truck. I didn't understand why.
"The white coats stole Ben's voice," said Madiza. "Boxed it up and shipped it away, along with my mind. Don't let them get you too. They'll take your mind, and your soul, so you'll never get to heaven." Her eyes went wide as she said the last phrase, and she stared at us with a fixed expression. I got the feeling that she was genuinely scared. I wondered if she had a right to be.
I took a look at this girl. I kid you not, she was one of the scrawniest, most half-starved looking people I have ever seen. Her hair was white, and stood out in shocks all over her head. It looked like she had stuck her finger in an electric socket on a repeated basis. Her body type was tall and scrawny, as if instead of bones she had bits of wire covered by skin. She was also very pale, as if she had never seen the sun, or at least not in months. What interested me most was her eyes. They were a lot bigger than any eyes I had ever seen, and looked a bit like glass green marbles. On closer observation, as she gave a demented grin, I got the feeling that she didn't have many marbles up top.
"So, they finally decided to feed us! Hee hee hee hee, I've been starving down here!" she cackled, coming closer to us. She crouched down, looking Lucy in the face.
"Hmmm, you're a little scrawny, but you'll do." Then she looked at me and Matt. "Oh, I'm afraid you'd be impossible! We'd need to fatten you up! There's not enough meat to feed a mouse on you!" The girl stood up, and set the candle down on the ground by Lucy. Speak of the devil, I was really starting to feel concerned for her. She was getting the same facial expression as that of a rabbit in a trap.
"P-p-please don't hurt us," she squeaked. "We really don't taste very good."
At that moment the person who was apparently 'Ben-ben' stood up. He was of medium height, and looked slightly Native American, except for the fact that he had very intensely blue eyes. He put a hand on the girl's shoulder, in a matter that seemed to say 'Enough.' She gave him a hurt look, then said, "Oh, all right, Ben. You know best." Then she turned to us, and said, "Ben says no-no. Don't be afraid, we won't eat you."
"Then why-" Matt started to ask. I elbowed him, then whispered, "Isn't it obvious? She's not all there."
"Aren't I?" asked the girl, who evidently had really good hearing. She held out her arms. "See? I have all my arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, toes. How can you say I'm not all here?"
"I mean...forget it. Why are you here?" I changed the subject. Her eyes got wide, and she looked furtively from side to side. She leaned towards me, and whispered, "Promise you won't tell?"
"Yeah."
"The white coats know where I went," she said quietly.
"Where?"
"Down the rabbit hole. I've been down the rabbit hole, and now I know too much.They want to keep me quiet."
I tried to hide a smile as I asked, "Is your name by any chance Alice?" She blinked, looking puzzled.
"Alice?" Then comprehension dawned on her, and she laughed. "Oh, no. Not that famous. I'm Madiza."
"That's an interesting name," said Matt.
"Isn't it?" said Madiza with a smile. "Do you know where it comes from?" We, including Lucy, shook our heads.
"Because I'm as mad as a hatter!" she cackled, grinning again. We looked at each other. Our thoughts were clear: we had been placed in a cage with a nutcase.
"Why doesn't he say anything?" I asked, pointing to the boy. I heard a gasp, and saw Lucy staring at him almost like she had been hit by a truck. I didn't understand why.
"The white coats stole Ben's voice," said Madiza. "Boxed it up and shipped it away, along with my mind. Don't let them get you too. They'll take your mind, and your soul, so you'll never get to heaven." Her eyes went wide as she said the last phrase, and she stared at us with a fixed expression. I got the feeling that she was genuinely scared. I wondered if she had a right to be.
Freegans part 6
Lucy continued
Just then we touched down on the top of a landing site by a tall building. The next thing I knew, we were being roughly dragged from the net by several big men, and dragged through a trap door and down a long flight of steps. My legs had fallen asleep during the flight, and I offered no resistance. Matt and Cara didn't do much either, probably too weak. They pulled us down, down, down, finally going through a door and into the basement. It was dark down there, and I could hear water dripping. One of the men clicked on a flashlight, and shone it in my face. I squinted, turning away from him.
"What do we do with them?" he asked. One of the others replied, "Let's put them in with the other two rats for a while. Maybe they'll finish them off and save us the trouble." They had a good chuckle over that. I was less than amused. Then one of the others got out a ring of keys, and walked over to a big cage in the corner. I hadn't noticed it before, mostly because I'd had a bright light shining in my face. He opened it, and then the guys holding us dragged us over, then threw us into the cage. I landed on my face, which really hurt, and then someone else landed on top of me.
There was a loud clang as the door slammed, and then the sound of our captors walking away, and a final slam as the door to the basement was closed. For a few seconds there was silence. Then I said aloud, "Would whoever is lying on me please get off? I'm finding it hard to breathe."
"Sorry," said Matt's voice, and then I felt the weight move. I sat up in the dark, and put out my hands, feeling around.
"Where are we?" I wanted to know. "We're in a cage, Luce," said Cara's voice sarcastically.
"I KNOW that, I just meant... forget it." It was then that I heard a sound coming from another part of the cage. It was a scraping, scratching sound, like something waking up that had been asleep for a while. There was a loud yawn, and then the sound of a match being struck. A light appeared, causing me to squint. When I could look at it, I saw that it was coming from a candle. The candle was held in a hand, attached to an arm, belonging to a person. This person was a girl. She looked at us in surprise, then suddenly gave a loud, cackling laugh.
"Wakey wakey, Ben-ben! We've got fresh meat tonight!"
Just then we touched down on the top of a landing site by a tall building. The next thing I knew, we were being roughly dragged from the net by several big men, and dragged through a trap door and down a long flight of steps. My legs had fallen asleep during the flight, and I offered no resistance. Matt and Cara didn't do much either, probably too weak. They pulled us down, down, down, finally going through a door and into the basement. It was dark down there, and I could hear water dripping. One of the men clicked on a flashlight, and shone it in my face. I squinted, turning away from him.
"What do we do with them?" he asked. One of the others replied, "Let's put them in with the other two rats for a while. Maybe they'll finish them off and save us the trouble." They had a good chuckle over that. I was less than amused. Then one of the others got out a ring of keys, and walked over to a big cage in the corner. I hadn't noticed it before, mostly because I'd had a bright light shining in my face. He opened it, and then the guys holding us dragged us over, then threw us into the cage. I landed on my face, which really hurt, and then someone else landed on top of me.
There was a loud clang as the door slammed, and then the sound of our captors walking away, and a final slam as the door to the basement was closed. For a few seconds there was silence. Then I said aloud, "Would whoever is lying on me please get off? I'm finding it hard to breathe."
"Sorry," said Matt's voice, and then I felt the weight move. I sat up in the dark, and put out my hands, feeling around.
"Where are we?" I wanted to know. "We're in a cage, Luce," said Cara's voice sarcastically.
"I KNOW that, I just meant... forget it." It was then that I heard a sound coming from another part of the cage. It was a scraping, scratching sound, like something waking up that had been asleep for a while. There was a loud yawn, and then the sound of a match being struck. A light appeared, causing me to squint. When I could look at it, I saw that it was coming from a candle. The candle was held in a hand, attached to an arm, belonging to a person. This person was a girl. She looked at us in surprise, then suddenly gave a loud, cackling laugh.
"Wakey wakey, Ben-ben! We've got fresh meat tonight!"
Friday, March 5, 2010
Freegans part 5
Lucy
I leaned down through the net and yelled, "Go home, Danielle! Go home!" Maybe it was sheer terror, maybe she was confused, but she did as I said. As I watched her run away, I was suddenly hit by a wave of vertigo. I've never been too good with heights, and this net was pretty high off the ground, though I couldn't see what it was attached too. Mostly that was because I now had my eyes squeezed shut, and was trying very hard not to puke.
I heard Cara say, "I think we can safely conclude this was a trap set by the consumerists."
"Brilliant deduction, Holmes," said Matt sarcastically, followed by an "Ow!" after she socked him. Then I suddenly heard a loud thrumming sound above us.
"What's that?" I asked. I opened my eyes, and saw. The net was swinging precariously through the air, and dangling by a rope from a big helicopter!
"How come we didn't hear that earlier?" Matt wanted to know.
"I presume it's because of the silent hovercraft hidden in the clouds that this helicopter was resting on," said Cara. Both of us looked at her.
"How do you know about that?" we asked at nearly the same time. She pointed up at the sky, and we saw the silent hovercraft following us. Instantly I felt kind of stupid. Then my feelings changed to ones of panic. We were prisoners! The consumerists had captured us, and were going to do who-knows-what! My chest began feeling tight.
The trip lasted for what seemed like hours, going past the city we knew, and during that time all we did was sit and think. I didn't understand how Cara and Matt were handling this so calmly. They sat, trying to make themselves comfortable on the mesh, and staring out at the landscape. As I watched, I suddenly noticed that Cara's hands were shaking, and looked kind of clammy. I glanced at Matt, and saw that his eyes held a slightly anxious look. I realized that they really WERE as afraid as I was, just better at controlling it. That made me feel kind of crummy, since I always wear my heart on my sleeve.
Anyway, we finally closed in on another city. "Which one is this?" I asked aloud.
"I think it's Washington D.C," said Cara. She's the history buff in the group, and knows that sort of thing. She pointed down at a tall, white building standing out on the ground. "That's the old Washington Monument. Dedicated to our first president." Looking down on it made me dizzy, so I looked away. It was a marvel that I had come this far without throwing up. Matt looked at me.
"Are you okay?" he asked. I nodded.
I leaned down through the net and yelled, "Go home, Danielle! Go home!" Maybe it was sheer terror, maybe she was confused, but she did as I said. As I watched her run away, I was suddenly hit by a wave of vertigo. I've never been too good with heights, and this net was pretty high off the ground, though I couldn't see what it was attached too. Mostly that was because I now had my eyes squeezed shut, and was trying very hard not to puke.
I heard Cara say, "I think we can safely conclude this was a trap set by the consumerists."
"Brilliant deduction, Holmes," said Matt sarcastically, followed by an "Ow!" after she socked him. Then I suddenly heard a loud thrumming sound above us.
"What's that?" I asked. I opened my eyes, and saw. The net was swinging precariously through the air, and dangling by a rope from a big helicopter!
"How come we didn't hear that earlier?" Matt wanted to know.
"I presume it's because of the silent hovercraft hidden in the clouds that this helicopter was resting on," said Cara. Both of us looked at her.
"How do you know about that?" we asked at nearly the same time. She pointed up at the sky, and we saw the silent hovercraft following us. Instantly I felt kind of stupid. Then my feelings changed to ones of panic. We were prisoners! The consumerists had captured us, and were going to do who-knows-what! My chest began feeling tight.
The trip lasted for what seemed like hours, going past the city we knew, and during that time all we did was sit and think. I didn't understand how Cara and Matt were handling this so calmly. They sat, trying to make themselves comfortable on the mesh, and staring out at the landscape. As I watched, I suddenly noticed that Cara's hands were shaking, and looked kind of clammy. I glanced at Matt, and saw that his eyes held a slightly anxious look. I realized that they really WERE as afraid as I was, just better at controlling it. That made me feel kind of crummy, since I always wear my heart on my sleeve.
Anyway, we finally closed in on another city. "Which one is this?" I asked aloud.
"I think it's Washington D.C," said Cara. She's the history buff in the group, and knows that sort of thing. She pointed down at a tall, white building standing out on the ground. "That's the old Washington Monument. Dedicated to our first president." Looking down on it made me dizzy, so I looked away. It was a marvel that I had come this far without throwing up. Matt looked at me.
"Are you okay?" he asked. I nodded.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Freegans part 4
Matt
It's about time that I got my chance to speak. Girls always have this annoying habit of monopolizing the conversation, and not allowing you to get a word in edge-ways. The only one I've met yet who doesn't do that is Cara. In fact, she hardly ever says anything. That's probably why she's one of my best friends. She doesn't talk too much.
Regardless, I woke up the next morning raring to go. I left a note for Dad on the table, since he was still asleep with a bad hangover. He is without a doubt the worst Freegan, and the biggest drunk, I have ever met. It's a wonder that we're related. I went down to Cara and Lucy's house, and found them finishing breakfast. I thought of pulling my police trick again, but decided that I didn't want to have my nose broken. Even though they're tiny, Cara has some of the hardest fists in the world. Lucy's aren't too bad either.
We went off to the dump, with Danielle running ahead. She was seriously deluding herself thinking that she was going to find any red tap shoes, unless they had some sequins broken off, or something. Gas-guzzlers rarely throw stuff away unless a catastrophe like that happens. The three of us walked together like civilized people. We didn't have much to say, so I mostly just thought (believe it or not, I actually do think sometimes). I remembered what Lucy's parents had been talking about last night, about Mr. McTavish trying to get more gas-guzzlers to join us. It's not as impossible as it seems; once every few years there actually are a few kind, generous, intelligent city people born who care about the environment. But not very often. It's almost like President Sheldon brainwashes everyone into shopaholics and morons.
At the dump, we began to search around, looking for anything else useful or cool. I picked up some weird contraption that looked kind of like a multi-armed miniature windmill with paintbrushes on the ends. "What's this for?" I asked aloud.
"I think that's used to paint your nails," said Lucy. Both Cara and I made disgusted faces at the notion. For those of you who haven't noticed, Cara's not really a girly-girl. I chucked the nail-painter back on the pile, and picked up an old hairbrush with a few bristles moving. I was considering it, when I noticed Cara's newest find. She had lifted up out of the junk a pair of silvery boots. The outsides were made of metal, but the insides were apparently very soft. There were strange circles on the bottoms. Her green eyes were wide with awe.
"I'm keeping these," she abruptly announced. With that, she took off her old sneakers and slipped the boots on. They fit pretty good.
Just then Danielle called to us excitedly. "Hey, look at this!" We ran up, to see her pointing at the top of a particular heap of junk. There was a little toy dog sitting there, head cocked to the side, almost like a real dog. "Isn't it cute?" Danielle cooed. All three of us automatically rolled our eyes. Danielle started forward, scrambling up the heap. It was then that I noticed there was a lead attached to the dog. That instantly set my radar on alert. Why would anyone bother to tie up a toy dog? I could tell that Lucy was concerned too, because she started forward. "Um, Dani? I don't think you should-" She got no further. As soon as her sister lifted the dog, a loud twang was heard, and a big net appeared out of the sky. Acting on instinct, we ran up, pushing Danielle out of the way in time, only to get caught ourselves! We were trapped!
It's about time that I got my chance to speak. Girls always have this annoying habit of monopolizing the conversation, and not allowing you to get a word in edge-ways. The only one I've met yet who doesn't do that is Cara. In fact, she hardly ever says anything. That's probably why she's one of my best friends. She doesn't talk too much.
Regardless, I woke up the next morning raring to go. I left a note for Dad on the table, since he was still asleep with a bad hangover. He is without a doubt the worst Freegan, and the biggest drunk, I have ever met. It's a wonder that we're related. I went down to Cara and Lucy's house, and found them finishing breakfast. I thought of pulling my police trick again, but decided that I didn't want to have my nose broken. Even though they're tiny, Cara has some of the hardest fists in the world. Lucy's aren't too bad either.
We went off to the dump, with Danielle running ahead. She was seriously deluding herself thinking that she was going to find any red tap shoes, unless they had some sequins broken off, or something. Gas-guzzlers rarely throw stuff away unless a catastrophe like that happens. The three of us walked together like civilized people. We didn't have much to say, so I mostly just thought (believe it or not, I actually do think sometimes). I remembered what Lucy's parents had been talking about last night, about Mr. McTavish trying to get more gas-guzzlers to join us. It's not as impossible as it seems; once every few years there actually are a few kind, generous, intelligent city people born who care about the environment. But not very often. It's almost like President Sheldon brainwashes everyone into shopaholics and morons.
At the dump, we began to search around, looking for anything else useful or cool. I picked up some weird contraption that looked kind of like a multi-armed miniature windmill with paintbrushes on the ends. "What's this for?" I asked aloud.
"I think that's used to paint your nails," said Lucy. Both Cara and I made disgusted faces at the notion. For those of you who haven't noticed, Cara's not really a girly-girl. I chucked the nail-painter back on the pile, and picked up an old hairbrush with a few bristles moving. I was considering it, when I noticed Cara's newest find. She had lifted up out of the junk a pair of silvery boots. The outsides were made of metal, but the insides were apparently very soft. There were strange circles on the bottoms. Her green eyes were wide with awe.
"I'm keeping these," she abruptly announced. With that, she took off her old sneakers and slipped the boots on. They fit pretty good.
Just then Danielle called to us excitedly. "Hey, look at this!" We ran up, to see her pointing at the top of a particular heap of junk. There was a little toy dog sitting there, head cocked to the side, almost like a real dog. "Isn't it cute?" Danielle cooed. All three of us automatically rolled our eyes. Danielle started forward, scrambling up the heap. It was then that I noticed there was a lead attached to the dog. That instantly set my radar on alert. Why would anyone bother to tie up a toy dog? I could tell that Lucy was concerned too, because she started forward. "Um, Dani? I don't think you should-" She got no further. As soon as her sister lifted the dog, a loud twang was heard, and a big net appeared out of the sky. Acting on instinct, we ran up, pushing Danielle out of the way in time, only to get caught ourselves! We were trapped!
Monday, March 1, 2010
Freegans part 3
Cara
After a hesitant second, I slowly got up and looked through the peephole in the door. The next instant I jerked it open, to reveal Matt standing outside, laughing like crazy. "That was SO not funny, Matt!" I yelled. Lucy looked pretty steamed too. She stormed forward and poked him hard in the chest.
"HOW COULD YOU!" she screamed. "You scared me to death! I thought we were goners"
"Hey, it was just a joke!" Matt protested, holding his hands out defensively. I had to pull Lucy back before she did any serious damage. "Cool it, Luce. He's sorry. Aren't you?" I said, giving him a significant look. Matt nodded, but he still had an impudent look in his eyes.
Lucy's parents invited him to stay for dinner, and he readily accepted. Matt ate like it was back in the twenty-first century and we were about to run out of food from overpopulation and the gas-guzzlers wasting everything. While we ate, Mom and Dad talked about Mr. McTavish's new campaign to try and get more city people to join us, appealing to their hedonism.
"Apparently he thinks that if we can convince them that the more things they throw away, the sooner they are all going to die, they will want to listen more," said Dad, raising a bite of salad.
"Well, I don't know that it will work," said Mom. "Sheldon has got lots of propaganda going on that we're a bunch of dirty scavengers without any scruples or personal hygiene. It sounds like he's just grasping at straws."
I thought about that. The cities had propaganda about us? That meant that Sheldon thought we were a threat. Good! I hoped he did. Danielle interrupted my thoughts by asking, "Mom, can we go back to the dump quickly? I want to find some tap shoes. Can we, Mom? Pleeeaaaassseee?" She squinted up her eyes and made a puppy-dog face.
"Not tonight, Danielle," said Mom. "But you and Lucy can go in the morning." Lucy made a face, but she knew that arguing was out of the question.
"I'll go with you," said Matt and I at the same time. That's the way it is with us. We do everything together, without question. Matt's dad doesn't really care what he does, and of course my real parents don't. Or if they do, it doesn't matter, since they're dead. It's kind of sad, but it's my life.
After a hesitant second, I slowly got up and looked through the peephole in the door. The next instant I jerked it open, to reveal Matt standing outside, laughing like crazy. "That was SO not funny, Matt!" I yelled. Lucy looked pretty steamed too. She stormed forward and poked him hard in the chest.
"HOW COULD YOU!" she screamed. "You scared me to death! I thought we were goners"
"Hey, it was just a joke!" Matt protested, holding his hands out defensively. I had to pull Lucy back before she did any serious damage. "Cool it, Luce. He's sorry. Aren't you?" I said, giving him a significant look. Matt nodded, but he still had an impudent look in his eyes.
Lucy's parents invited him to stay for dinner, and he readily accepted. Matt ate like it was back in the twenty-first century and we were about to run out of food from overpopulation and the gas-guzzlers wasting everything. While we ate, Mom and Dad talked about Mr. McTavish's new campaign to try and get more city people to join us, appealing to their hedonism.
"Apparently he thinks that if we can convince them that the more things they throw away, the sooner they are all going to die, they will want to listen more," said Dad, raising a bite of salad.
"Well, I don't know that it will work," said Mom. "Sheldon has got lots of propaganda going on that we're a bunch of dirty scavengers without any scruples or personal hygiene. It sounds like he's just grasping at straws."
I thought about that. The cities had propaganda about us? That meant that Sheldon thought we were a threat. Good! I hoped he did. Danielle interrupted my thoughts by asking, "Mom, can we go back to the dump quickly? I want to find some tap shoes. Can we, Mom? Pleeeaaaassseee?" She squinted up her eyes and made a puppy-dog face.
"Not tonight, Danielle," said Mom. "But you and Lucy can go in the morning." Lucy made a face, but she knew that arguing was out of the question.
"I'll go with you," said Matt and I at the same time. That's the way it is with us. We do everything together, without question. Matt's dad doesn't really care what he does, and of course my real parents don't. Or if they do, it doesn't matter, since they're dead. It's kind of sad, but it's my life.
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