Cara again
I lay on the ground, trembling as the last wisps of the terrible cloud left my brain. I saw the others around me, looking as white and shaky as I was. Lucy seemed to be the worst off, but even she was coming around. Slowly I managed to sit up. It was then that I noticed Madiza. She was standing up, with her back against the door of the room, almost like she was trying to keep something from coming out.
"What are you doing?" I asked. My voice came out sounding like a croak.
"Got to hold it in. Can't let it out, or it'll hurt you again!" said Madiza.
"What, the smoke?"
"Yes! Radix pedis diaboli!" Madiza dragged her chalk out of her pocket and drew a picture on the door. It looked like a combination of a foot and a hoof.
"That's what it looks like before it's ground up. When burned, the stuff stimulates the part of the brain which controls fear. Whoever is exposed to it for too long either goes cuckoo like me, or kicks the towel!" I assumed by that last phrase that she was using a combination of 'kick the bucket' and 'toss in the towel', but decided to let it go.
"So how come it didn't effect you?"
"I don't know. Maybe because I've already lost my marbles. And it couldn't have; I wouldn't have been able to get you out otherwise." Madiza grinned at me.
"You saved us?"
"Of course I did, silly! You're my friends! I didn't want you to become Looney Tunes, or get rattled!"
"Rattled?" asked Matt, who had by now recovered.
"Death-rattled. Hee hee!"
I suddenly felt a wave of affection for her. "Thank you, Madiza," I said softly. Then I got up, and helped Matt.
"We need to go. The Junkmen are probably going to come back soon. Ben, Lucy, can you walk?" Ben stood up, and Lucy staggered to her feet, but she looked unsteady. Without warning, Ben picked her up and slung her, piggy-back style, onto his back. Well, that worked.
"Right, let's go." I started to head to the left, but Madiza said, "No, no! Not that way! The camp of the trashy people is over there! We need to go right!"
"How do you know?"
"I can smell them! We need to go this way! Trust me!" She headed down the right branch. I looked at Matt and Ben, who shrugged.
"Who are we to argue with a nutcase who knows more than we do?" asked Matt.
"Good point," I said. So, we went after her. I just hoped she knew what she was doing.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Freegans part 25
The Kestrel
Kestrel walked slowly down the tunnel, his senses alert. He had changed out of his uniform soon after getting away from the rest of the scouting party; it was now folded up in his backpack. His plasma rifle, toned to debilitation, hung from its shoulder strap by his arm; he was the best shot in his platoon, an irony that wasn't lost on him. He was dressed all in black, with his black beret still on (he rather liked how it looked on him). He was moving as swiftly as he could while still maintaining silence; it would be terrible either to be trapped by the Junkmen or be caught by his own patrol. Still, he needed to get to the children. He hadn't found any message from the Ox, who would have left some sign if he had found them. From the signs he had already seen, it seemed like the Junkmen were making a push in this area. Suddenly, he came upon what must have been a battle scene- broken robots, a junk tunnel, and no sign of anyone. Kestrel kicked himself inwardly for not preparing for that possibility. She was counting on him, and he should have foreseen the problem.
A few minutes later, he had followed the tunnel to the Junkmen transit camp. They had to be in there somewhere, probably already under the affect of the drugs the Junkmen used. He had to get them out of there. He slipped quietly around a corner and into one of the buildings.
Kestrel walked slowly down the tunnel, his senses alert. He had changed out of his uniform soon after getting away from the rest of the scouting party; it was now folded up in his backpack. His plasma rifle, toned to debilitation, hung from its shoulder strap by his arm; he was the best shot in his platoon, an irony that wasn't lost on him. He was dressed all in black, with his black beret still on (he rather liked how it looked on him). He was moving as swiftly as he could while still maintaining silence; it would be terrible either to be trapped by the Junkmen or be caught by his own patrol. Still, he needed to get to the children. He hadn't found any message from the Ox, who would have left some sign if he had found them. From the signs he had already seen, it seemed like the Junkmen were making a push in this area. Suddenly, he came upon what must have been a battle scene- broken robots, a junk tunnel, and no sign of anyone. Kestrel kicked himself inwardly for not preparing for that possibility. She was counting on him, and he should have foreseen the problem.
A few minutes later, he had followed the tunnel to the Junkmen transit camp. They had to be in there somewhere, probably already under the affect of the drugs the Junkmen used. He had to get them out of there. He slipped quietly around a corner and into one of the buildings.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Freegans part 24
Madiza
What what why leave door unlocked? Don't know, don't know. Light light lamp funny funny smell bad bad not good no no NO! Trouble bad Radix pedis diaboli! Help help help my- friends- need- help. Must help them. Got- to-get-out. Door, door, who's got the door? There there there good good good now help friends.
Find Lucy, she's weakest. There she is, there she is. Come on, out out out door's not locked take her out. Should clear senses. Now find Ben-ben, where's Ben-ben? Oof, what was that? What what what oh, Matt. Better take him out. Get to the door. Put him out. Now find Ben-ben and Cara Cara orange. Found Ben-ben. Looks scared, face gone white, not good not good. Here, up he goes, get out with others. Yes, now Cara Cara. Cara, where are you? Come out wherever you are. Yoohoo? Cara! Got to get out, before you toss the bucket or go my way. Fear's not good, not good at all. Come on, little old Madiza's got you. Each who bears his cross. Ha. Bearing my Cara instead. Hee hee hee hee! The door! Where's the door? Bad, bad, bad no no no not want to have Cara die...there! Out out out...and it came to pass that the lunatic did rise up and move her friends before the terror got to them. Now- got-to-close-this-DOOR!
What what why leave door unlocked? Don't know, don't know. Light light lamp funny funny smell bad bad not good no no NO! Trouble bad Radix pedis diaboli! Help help help my- friends- need- help. Must help them. Got- to-get-out. Door, door, who's got the door? There there there good good good now help friends.
Find Lucy, she's weakest. There she is, there she is. Come on, out out out door's not locked take her out. Should clear senses. Now find Ben-ben, where's Ben-ben? Oof, what was that? What what what oh, Matt. Better take him out. Get to the door. Put him out. Now find Ben-ben and Cara Cara orange. Found Ben-ben. Looks scared, face gone white, not good not good. Here, up he goes, get out with others. Yes, now Cara Cara. Cara, where are you? Come out wherever you are. Yoohoo? Cara! Got to get out, before you toss the bucket or go my way. Fear's not good, not good at all. Come on, little old Madiza's got you. Each who bears his cross. Ha. Bearing my Cara instead. Hee hee hee hee! The door! Where's the door? Bad, bad, bad no no no not want to have Cara die...there! Out out out...and it came to pass that the lunatic did rise up and move her friends before the terror got to them. Now- got-to-close-this-DOOR!
Freegans part 23
Cara
Unfortunately, we had forgotten about the robots. While we had been talking to the Junkmen, about a dozen more had joined them, so now they attacked us. Of course, we fought back. Ben used his marshal arts skills to smash in several metallic skulls, and Madiza was zapping them with her tazer, and us normal humans did the best we could. I had on my levitation boots, which made it a bit easier. I could zip up out of their reach, and suddenly crash down on them, or kick them. Matt had found a piece of piping, and used it to hit. Suddenly, we heard a shrill scream. Lucy was trapped in a net growing out of one robots arm, and another one was pointing his drill arm at her head. The meaning was clear. Madiza clearly wanted to shock them, but didn't want to risk hurting her. So we surrendered.
In three blinks of an eye we were surrounded and tied up, then slung over our captor's shoulders. Lucy was crying quietly. I could tell she was upset at being captured so easily, but there was really nothing we could have done. The Junkmen awoke, and glared at us maliciously. "Take them to the Room of Horrors," said their leader to the head robot. With that we were marched off. I felt a shiver run down my back. I wondered what the Room of Horrors was. Something told me, probably the name, that it would not be pleasant. The robots went down a long, dark pipe. On the way, I saw another car with a drill on the end, which had more Junkmen in it. The robots stopped and waited for it to go by before continuing. The Junkmen spat at us and called us 'filthy topsiders'. 'Sheesh,' I thought.
Suddenly we came to a door. It was a simple one, made of wood, with no lock on it. That was strange to me. Why not bother locking the door, if it was supposed to be so horrible? The robot carrying me opened the door, and dumped me inside. The others got the same treatment. Once all of us were in the room, a robot walked over to a small lamp in the center of the room. It lit the lamp, and then all of them left, slamming the door. Madiza and Ben managed to wriggle out of their ropes, and then they untied us. "This room doesn't look that scary," said Matt, rubbing his wrists. "I wonder why-" He stopped. His face suddenly twisted in a look of pure terror. I was confused, until a peculiar smell hit my nose. It was sweet, yet at the same time musky. Instantly a dark cloud swam before my eyes. Strange shapes and twisted visions loomed out of it. I didn't know what had happened to the others, and was too terrified to care. Unknown horrors would soon appear from that cloud, and when they did, I would be done for!
Unfortunately, we had forgotten about the robots. While we had been talking to the Junkmen, about a dozen more had joined them, so now they attacked us. Of course, we fought back. Ben used his marshal arts skills to smash in several metallic skulls, and Madiza was zapping them with her tazer, and us normal humans did the best we could. I had on my levitation boots, which made it a bit easier. I could zip up out of their reach, and suddenly crash down on them, or kick them. Matt had found a piece of piping, and used it to hit. Suddenly, we heard a shrill scream. Lucy was trapped in a net growing out of one robots arm, and another one was pointing his drill arm at her head. The meaning was clear. Madiza clearly wanted to shock them, but didn't want to risk hurting her. So we surrendered.
In three blinks of an eye we were surrounded and tied up, then slung over our captor's shoulders. Lucy was crying quietly. I could tell she was upset at being captured so easily, but there was really nothing we could have done. The Junkmen awoke, and glared at us maliciously. "Take them to the Room of Horrors," said their leader to the head robot. With that we were marched off. I felt a shiver run down my back. I wondered what the Room of Horrors was. Something told me, probably the name, that it would not be pleasant. The robots went down a long, dark pipe. On the way, I saw another car with a drill on the end, which had more Junkmen in it. The robots stopped and waited for it to go by before continuing. The Junkmen spat at us and called us 'filthy topsiders'. 'Sheesh,' I thought.
Suddenly we came to a door. It was a simple one, made of wood, with no lock on it. That was strange to me. Why not bother locking the door, if it was supposed to be so horrible? The robot carrying me opened the door, and dumped me inside. The others got the same treatment. Once all of us were in the room, a robot walked over to a small lamp in the center of the room. It lit the lamp, and then all of them left, slamming the door. Madiza and Ben managed to wriggle out of their ropes, and then they untied us. "This room doesn't look that scary," said Matt, rubbing his wrists. "I wonder why-" He stopped. His face suddenly twisted in a look of pure terror. I was confused, until a peculiar smell hit my nose. It was sweet, yet at the same time musky. Instantly a dark cloud swam before my eyes. Strange shapes and twisted visions loomed out of it. I didn't know what had happened to the others, and was too terrified to care. Unknown horrors would soon appear from that cloud, and when they did, I would be done for!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Freegans part 22
Ben
The three men were all very short, probably about as tall as Lucy, if not shorter. They all had on big goggles covering their eyes, and leathery clothes. I thought they looked a little bit like leather moles. The one in front, who appeared to be the leader, stepped out of the car and demanded, "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"
"That's none of your business,"Cara replied. She folded her arms across her chest stubbornly. I could tell this would not end well. The man who had spoken walked forward and looked Cara in the face, which wasn't all that impressive, since he was so much shorter.
"We are the Junkmen. EVERYTHING underground is our business," he said. "This is our world."
"Funny, I don't see your name on it anywhere," said Cara. Lucy and Matt both winced slightly.
For a moment the head Junkman looked about to explode. Then suddenly his face relaxed, and he smiled.
"I apologize for acting so rough. You see, we're not that used to having topsiders down here." He held out his leather-gloved hand, and just as Cara was about to take it, Madiza suddenly turned her tazer on him and his two buddies! The leader was knocked off his feet!
"Madiza!" Cara yelled. "What were you thinking?!" I was rather annoyed myself. I always knew Madiza was crazy, but didn't think she had an itchy trigger finger.
"I only stunned them," she replied mildly.
"That's no excuse! He was just trying to shake my hand!"
"No he wasn't," said Madiza. To our surprise, she walked over, and took something out of the Junkman's hand. It was a small glass vial, with some liquid inside.
"Poison," she said softly. "Mostly cyanide, but there is also some strychnine, and a few drops of a newly invented poison known by anti-consumerists as 'Gwilliam's Venom', due to the vice-president's maladjusted antisocial tendencies and slightly murderous nature." Her voice was different, sounding a little bit like a scientist. “Upon shaking your hand, the vial would shatter, and the glass shards cut open your hand, leaving the poison free entry into your bloodstream.” All four of us gaped at her, before Matt finally managed to find his voice.
"How-how did you know that?!" Madiza looked at him for a second, then said in her normal voice, "I don't know." She blinked a few times, then slipped the vial of poison into her pocket, along with the tazer. She then started down the tunnel. After a second, we followed her. I was thinking to myself, "Will wonders never cease?"
The three men were all very short, probably about as tall as Lucy, if not shorter. They all had on big goggles covering their eyes, and leathery clothes. I thought they looked a little bit like leather moles. The one in front, who appeared to be the leader, stepped out of the car and demanded, "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"
"That's none of your business,"Cara replied. She folded her arms across her chest stubbornly. I could tell this would not end well. The man who had spoken walked forward and looked Cara in the face, which wasn't all that impressive, since he was so much shorter.
"We are the Junkmen. EVERYTHING underground is our business," he said. "This is our world."
"Funny, I don't see your name on it anywhere," said Cara. Lucy and Matt both winced slightly.
For a moment the head Junkman looked about to explode. Then suddenly his face relaxed, and he smiled.
"I apologize for acting so rough. You see, we're not that used to having topsiders down here." He held out his leather-gloved hand, and just as Cara was about to take it, Madiza suddenly turned her tazer on him and his two buddies! The leader was knocked off his feet!
"Madiza!" Cara yelled. "What were you thinking?!" I was rather annoyed myself. I always knew Madiza was crazy, but didn't think she had an itchy trigger finger.
"I only stunned them," she replied mildly.
"That's no excuse! He was just trying to shake my hand!"
"No he wasn't," said Madiza. To our surprise, she walked over, and took something out of the Junkman's hand. It was a small glass vial, with some liquid inside.
"Poison," she said softly. "Mostly cyanide, but there is also some strychnine, and a few drops of a newly invented poison known by anti-consumerists as 'Gwilliam's Venom', due to the vice-president's maladjusted antisocial tendencies and slightly murderous nature." Her voice was different, sounding a little bit like a scientist. “Upon shaking your hand, the vial would shatter, and the glass shards cut open your hand, leaving the poison free entry into your bloodstream.” All four of us gaped at her, before Matt finally managed to find his voice.
"How-how did you know that?!" Madiza looked at him for a second, then said in her normal voice, "I don't know." She blinked a few times, then slipped the vial of poison into her pocket, along with the tazer. She then started down the tunnel. After a second, we followed her. I was thinking to myself, "Will wonders never cease?"
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Freegans part 21
Lucy
I was frozen with terror, which wasn't that surprising, considering the robot. Actually, there was more than one. I counted at least twelve. They all had what looked like primitive deep-sea diving gear on the tops of their bodies. Some of them had large drills for arms, or nets, or other weird contraptions. However, their legs were different. Some had eight giant spider legs, some had four dog legs, and even a few had human legs. My heart was seized with terror.
Suddenly, they attacked us! I was grabbed by one of the robots in front, and hoisted into the air. I was too frightened even to cry out. I couldn't even move. Suddenly, there was a loud crunching noise, and the robot dropped me. I looked up, just in time to see Ben give the thing another roundhouse kick to the dome, crunching it in. Sparks leaped from broken wires as it fell in a rusty heap.
"How did you do that?!" I gasped. Ben grabbed a pen, and wrote quickly, 'Consumerists are always kept physically fit, and have to learn some kind of sport. I took martial arts.'
The others seemed to be getting on all right. Cara and Matt had found some pipes in the pack, and were now swinging them at the other robots, whacking everywhere they could reach. Ben ran to the pack and grabbed a pipe of his own. He seemed to be everywhere at once, fighting like a maniac. He was so brave.
Suddenly I noticed Madiza. She was holding a weird gun thing in her hand. Suddenly she pointed it at one of the robots, and pulled the trigger. A blast of electricity shot out of the end, shooting it straight backwards and into the big hole! Madiza stared at the gun in shock for a second, then her face split into the widest grin I had ever seen. The next instant she started shooting at top speed, several times nearly missing us. The good news was that the robots felt she was the greatest threat, and so concentrated their attacks on her.
I could tell that Cara wanted to help, but there didn't seem like anything to be done. Secretly I felt relieved. Madiza could probably handle herself, and if she couldn't, well, then at least we could take this opportunity to escape. I ran to Cara. "Do you think you could fly us across the hole?" I asked.
"There's a limit to how much weight these boots can take. And besides, we're not leaving Madiza," she replied.
"Why not? She's just a loony. She's slowing us down!" Cara stared at me in shock. I was a bit surprised myself. I didn't usually talk like that about anybody.
"Well, we have a rope. Cara could fly across the hole, then attach that rope to the ceiling or something, and we could get away like that," said Matt.
"Whatever we do, we need to do it now!" I screamed. Cara stood up, and had just lifted off, when a voice yelled, "Stop!" Madiza instantly quit shocking the robots, who had frozen in place. We looked past them, and saw a strange car. It was a very small one, with a big drill on the front. Inside were the oddest people I had ever seen.
I was frozen with terror, which wasn't that surprising, considering the robot. Actually, there was more than one. I counted at least twelve. They all had what looked like primitive deep-sea diving gear on the tops of their bodies. Some of them had large drills for arms, or nets, or other weird contraptions. However, their legs were different. Some had eight giant spider legs, some had four dog legs, and even a few had human legs. My heart was seized with terror.
Suddenly, they attacked us! I was grabbed by one of the robots in front, and hoisted into the air. I was too frightened even to cry out. I couldn't even move. Suddenly, there was a loud crunching noise, and the robot dropped me. I looked up, just in time to see Ben give the thing another roundhouse kick to the dome, crunching it in. Sparks leaped from broken wires as it fell in a rusty heap.
"How did you do that?!" I gasped. Ben grabbed a pen, and wrote quickly, 'Consumerists are always kept physically fit, and have to learn some kind of sport. I took martial arts.'
The others seemed to be getting on all right. Cara and Matt had found some pipes in the pack, and were now swinging them at the other robots, whacking everywhere they could reach. Ben ran to the pack and grabbed a pipe of his own. He seemed to be everywhere at once, fighting like a maniac. He was so brave.
Suddenly I noticed Madiza. She was holding a weird gun thing in her hand. Suddenly she pointed it at one of the robots, and pulled the trigger. A blast of electricity shot out of the end, shooting it straight backwards and into the big hole! Madiza stared at the gun in shock for a second, then her face split into the widest grin I had ever seen. The next instant she started shooting at top speed, several times nearly missing us. The good news was that the robots felt she was the greatest threat, and so concentrated their attacks on her.
I could tell that Cara wanted to help, but there didn't seem like anything to be done. Secretly I felt relieved. Madiza could probably handle herself, and if she couldn't, well, then at least we could take this opportunity to escape. I ran to Cara. "Do you think you could fly us across the hole?" I asked.
"There's a limit to how much weight these boots can take. And besides, we're not leaving Madiza," she replied.
"Why not? She's just a loony. She's slowing us down!" Cara stared at me in shock. I was a bit surprised myself. I didn't usually talk like that about anybody.
"Well, we have a rope. Cara could fly across the hole, then attach that rope to the ceiling or something, and we could get away like that," said Matt.
"Whatever we do, we need to do it now!" I screamed. Cara stood up, and had just lifted off, when a voice yelled, "Stop!" Madiza instantly quit shocking the robots, who had frozen in place. We looked past them, and saw a strange car. It was a very small one, with a big drill on the front. Inside were the oddest people I had ever seen.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Freegans part 20
Matt
We couldn't afford to waste time. At a nod from Cara I woke up Lucy and Ben. They sat up sleepily. "Whassamatta?" Lucy muttered. Then they both heard the clanking noise too, and looked into the tunnel. We still couldn't see what it was; not a single ray of light shone.
"Wh-what do you think it is?" Cara asked, unable to hold back a stammer.
"Big Sister's coming, and she's bringing some friends!" Madiza cackled, stuffing the chalk into her shirt pocket.
"That sounds ominous," I said. "We should get out of here."
"Really, Matt? I would never have thought of that!" said Cara sarcastically.
"Why do we need to go? They might be friendly!" said Lucy.
"Luce, does that clanking noise sound friendly? No, it does not. We're going." Without another word, Cara grabbed the pack and slung it over her shoulders. She then pulled Madiza up off the floor, and we were off. I couldn't help worrying about Lucy, since she has this tendency to lag behind during anything athletic, but I saw that Ben was helping her to keep up. As we ran, I heard Madiza talking loudly.
"And they're off! The bossy leader and Madiza Hatter are taking the lead, with Matt right behind, and Ben-ben and whatshername bringing up the rear! Oh, excuse me folks, I should say that the unknown clanking thing is bringing up the rear! However, whatever it is seems to be gaining on us! If you listen, you can hear the clanks speeding up!" True to her words, the noise was speeding up to match us.
Madiza continued. "...Laaaadies and gentlemen, they have just completed the first lap! Now they're rounding the corner, and oh! Looks like we're in for a holdup, folks! There's been damage done to the track!"
It was sheer luck that she and Cara had not gone over the edge of the huge hole in the ground. All of us managed to brake just in time, or else we would probably have been dead. Slowly we turned around. We got our first look at our pursuer, and Lucy had to stifle a scream. It was a robot.
We couldn't afford to waste time. At a nod from Cara I woke up Lucy and Ben. They sat up sleepily. "Whassamatta?" Lucy muttered. Then they both heard the clanking noise too, and looked into the tunnel. We still couldn't see what it was; not a single ray of light shone.
"Wh-what do you think it is?" Cara asked, unable to hold back a stammer.
"Big Sister's coming, and she's bringing some friends!" Madiza cackled, stuffing the chalk into her shirt pocket.
"That sounds ominous," I said. "We should get out of here."
"Really, Matt? I would never have thought of that!" said Cara sarcastically.
"Why do we need to go? They might be friendly!" said Lucy.
"Luce, does that clanking noise sound friendly? No, it does not. We're going." Without another word, Cara grabbed the pack and slung it over her shoulders. She then pulled Madiza up off the floor, and we were off. I couldn't help worrying about Lucy, since she has this tendency to lag behind during anything athletic, but I saw that Ben was helping her to keep up. As we ran, I heard Madiza talking loudly.
"And they're off! The bossy leader and Madiza Hatter are taking the lead, with Matt right behind, and Ben-ben and whatshername bringing up the rear! Oh, excuse me folks, I should say that the unknown clanking thing is bringing up the rear! However, whatever it is seems to be gaining on us! If you listen, you can hear the clanks speeding up!" True to her words, the noise was speeding up to match us.
Madiza continued. "...Laaaadies and gentlemen, they have just completed the first lap! Now they're rounding the corner, and oh! Looks like we're in for a holdup, folks! There's been damage done to the track!"
It was sheer luck that she and Cara had not gone over the edge of the huge hole in the ground. All of us managed to brake just in time, or else we would probably have been dead. Slowly we turned around. We got our first look at our pursuer, and Lucy had to stifle a scream. It was a robot.
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