Read Online The Second Intelligent Species: The Cyclical Earth by Dale Langlois - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Dale Langlois
Ads: Link
voice. “And who gives you the right…?”
The leader broke in to what was sure to be a confrontation. “Bonita, shhhh baby, be quiet.”
Instantly she quieted down and went back to fiddling with the fire. This guy really did have command of the group.
“My name’s Mick. Hi, Nick.”
I reached out my hand to shake his. “Mick.”
To my surprise, he reached out his hand and said, “Nick.”
We all gave a very subtle and muffled chuckle. No one dared laugh out loud. It wasn’t time yet.
He seemed like an intelligent man, quick witted and apparently accustomed to dealing with people. There was a nametag on his shirt, but it didn’t tell where he had worked. Though balding, he didn’t try to hide it with a comb over, but yet still had more hair than Beth.
“Just how many people do you think there are still alive in the city?” I felt I had gained his trust enough to ask a question.
He gazed in my direction awhile then said, “You’re lucky I like you.” He pressed his lips together. “I really can’t be sure. We have pretty much stayed here protecting this store. We put a claim on everything here, and the only way to keep it to ourselves is to stay here. There’ve been a few small groups passing through. We ran a couple of them off. We fed some and then sent them on their way. There’s only enough food left here for us.” He shook and rubbed his head. “Nobody has claimed the water tower. I’m sure someone willtake it hostage and only give water for food. We’d do it but we don’t have any guns, and none of us has the nerve to defend it. For now, it’s still run by the city. Just turn the pipe wrench to the left and catch it when it starts to drip, then turn it to the right to stop it from leaking out. There’s no way to fill it back up. When it’s gone we’ll drink what we can find. Wait a minute. I thought I was supposed to be asking the questions. Do you have anything to carry water in?”
“I guess I could poke a couple of holes in a can and then plug the holes with a screw or something.” I didn’t have anything but we had to keep hydrated in this heat. Even though it was dark all the time, it was constantly muggy. The heat drained us of all energy. We sweated from the time we crawled out of that tunnel and about five minutes after we washed up.
“I’m going to give each of you a going away gift. I shop at Gander Mountain.” He motioned with a drinking motion to a young boy crouching adjacent to the fire. “Marcos, bring me two canteens.”
The little guy jumped up as soon as he was asked. Apparently he was the keeper of the canteens. “Can I have some candy now?” He turned to look at our host.
“Give one to each of them, and then come here,” Mick said.
Off he scampered into the darkness, to return within less than two minutes, stirring up a plume of ashes as he skidded to a stop in front of Mick.
“Give one to each of our new friends.”
The little guy came over to Beth first, handed over a blackened and dented canteen, looked her in the eyes, and said, “Don’t worry; your hair will grow back.”
Beth looked down at her feet. Her hair was so important to her. I’d spent many hours combing my fingers through it. When it started to turn grey, she went to the salon religiously, every two weeks, to get it colored back to its original hue. “Thank you,” she said.
He handed me another. “Thank you,” I said.
The youngster turned away towards Mick, and the light of the fire reflected off his bare skin. The tops of his shoulders were covered with sores that seemed to be draining. Some of the material of his shirt had melted into his skin. He didn’t seem to be very uncomfortable considering his burns. I didn’t comment.
I looked at Mick with sincerity and said, “Thank you very, very much Mick. I know how valuable these are.” I held up the canteen, metal with a metal cap. You could tell both had gone through the fire. Mine was discolored, dented, and the cap
The leader broke in to what was sure to be a confrontation. “Bonita, shhhh baby, be quiet.”
Instantly she quieted down and went back to fiddling with the fire. This guy really did have command of the group.
“My name’s Mick. Hi, Nick.”
I reached out my hand to shake his. “Mick.”
To my surprise, he reached out his hand and said, “Nick.”
We all gave a very subtle and muffled chuckle. No one dared laugh out loud. It wasn’t time yet.
He seemed like an intelligent man, quick witted and apparently accustomed to dealing with people. There was a nametag on his shirt, but it didn’t tell where he had worked. Though balding, he didn’t try to hide it with a comb over, but yet still had more hair than Beth.
“Just how many people do you think there are still alive in the city?” I felt I had gained his trust enough to ask a question.
He gazed in my direction awhile then said, “You’re lucky I like you.” He pressed his lips together. “I really can’t be sure. We have pretty much stayed here protecting this store. We put a claim on everything here, and the only way to keep it to ourselves is to stay here. There’ve been a few small groups passing through. We ran a couple of them off. We fed some and then sent them on their way. There’s only enough food left here for us.” He shook and rubbed his head. “Nobody has claimed the water tower. I’m sure someone willtake it hostage and only give water for food. We’d do it but we don’t have any guns, and none of us has the nerve to defend it. For now, it’s still run by the city. Just turn the pipe wrench to the left and catch it when it starts to drip, then turn it to the right to stop it from leaking out. There’s no way to fill it back up. When it’s gone we’ll drink what we can find. Wait a minute. I thought I was supposed to be asking the questions. Do you have anything to carry water in?”
“I guess I could poke a couple of holes in a can and then plug the holes with a screw or something.” I didn’t have anything but we had to keep hydrated in this heat. Even though it was dark all the time, it was constantly muggy. The heat drained us of all energy. We sweated from the time we crawled out of that tunnel and about five minutes after we washed up.
“I’m going to give each of you a going away gift. I shop at Gander Mountain.” He motioned with a drinking motion to a young boy crouching adjacent to the fire. “Marcos, bring me two canteens.”
The little guy jumped up as soon as he was asked. Apparently he was the keeper of the canteens. “Can I have some candy now?” He turned to look at our host.
“Give one to each of them, and then come here,” Mick said.
Off he scampered into the darkness, to return within less than two minutes, stirring up a plume of ashes as he skidded to a stop in front of Mick.
“Give one to each of our new friends.”
The little guy came over to Beth first, handed over a blackened and dented canteen, looked her in the eyes, and said, “Don’t worry; your hair will grow back.”
Beth looked down at her feet. Her hair was so important to her. I’d spent many hours combing my fingers through it. When it started to turn grey, she went to the salon religiously, every two weeks, to get it colored back to its original hue. “Thank you,” she said.
He handed me another. “Thank you,” I said.
The youngster turned away towards Mick, and the light of the fire reflected off his bare skin. The tops of his shoulders were covered with sores that seemed to be draining. Some of the material of his shirt had melted into his skin. He didn’t seem to be very uncomfortable considering his burns. I didn’t comment.
I looked at Mick with sincerity and said, “Thank you very, very much Mick. I know how valuable these are.” I held up the canteen, metal with a metal cap. You could tell both had gone through the fire. Mine was discolored, dented, and the cap
Similar Books
