Hello Imaginary Friends,
My wife and I have bought a house and are in the middle of moving and setting things up.
Since I don’t want to neglect you any more than I have, I’ll be posting a multi-part story. It was recently rejected by an anthology but I plan on resubmitting it.
I really like this story. Let me know what you think.
Enjoy!
Suit looked at me and smiled a toothy shark like smile. He was accompanied by four other soldiers. Normally in this situation I’d try to put them to sleep or let Sofia take care of it but the old man hadn’t been lying. There was a young woman in her early twenties lying sick on the bed. I already knew it was the Martian Flu.
“Are you planning on shooting me before or after she dies?” I asked Suit.
To his credit he didn’t shoot me but nodded towards the nurse. “Fine, heal her but don’t try anything smart.”
There was a good one-liner in there but I was too busy taking the virus into myself. I had to do this quickly to avoid the events that Sol had shown me, specifically Sofia’s death. I bent next to the girl’s head and whispered to her that everything was going to be ok. In guise of checking her face, I slipped the breather into her mouth. I placed my breather, and watch beside her.
The side effect of taking the disease in quickly was that the burning happened quicker. It hurts the patient a little, which is why I never do it unless I have blasters aimed at me.
Suit turned off the fire alarm. With a quick press of the watch I turned it back on
As I started to burn and the fire alarms started. The air was sucked out of the room. Between the awe inspiring sight of me burning and the lack of air, all the soldiers dropped to the ground. Suit tried to give me an angry look but passed out. As soon as I cooled down I showed the breather in my mouth.
I turned off the alarm. As the air came back in I took the breather out of the girl’s mouth and said, “Where’s the boy?” When she shook her head, I continued, “You owe me your life; just tell me where he is.” She pointed at the back wall.
“Sofia, what do you see?”
Closing her eyes, she was looking for a hidden passage. When she opened them she moved forward and pressed on the light sconce. The back wall opened to show another nursery. “Someday you’ll have to tell me how you do that.”
“No I don’t, Hal,” She held out my change of clothes.
“Not yet. I have another patient.” I walked over to the crib and picked up the little boy. I went through my healing routine again. Three healings in one day meant I’d be feeling exhausted and a little nauseated for the next week. I might have the powers of Sol, but my body is still human.
Giving the child to Sofia, I got dressed. “Sofia, meet Thomas the sixth, Ruler of Mars.”
Completely unfazed she said, “I know. Let’s get out of here.” She walked towards the secret door to the nurse’s room and I shook my head, pointing at the main exit. Hopefully leaving by the main exit would avoid the rather painful death I saw for her.
Shrugging at both the change of direction and my disbelieving look, Sofia moved towards the main exit. I took the child. I sighed and said, “You know, someday I’ll surprise you.”
“You enjoy playing the mysterious Prophet, but it doesn’t mean you’re any good at it. How am I supposed to die?” Looking out the door she motioned to me to stay back. She pulled a grenade out of her coat. Seeing my shocked face she said, “You said ‘no blasters’. Not ‘no grenades’. Don’t worry it’s only a stun grenade.”
I held the King tightly against my chest covered his ears. The grenade made a disappointing popping noise. The sound was disappointing but the results weren’t, anyone in sight had been knocked out.
Running ahead Sofia pulled out her sword in one swift motion.
“You died in front of the Nurse’s room.” After she looked at me with raised eyebrow I added, “Ambush at the ship’s entrance. There’s a platoon of guards. But don’t worry, I have a plan.”
Waiting at the corner closest to our ship I gave her the little King. “I’ll distract them. Protect the King.” Taking an extra piece of clothing from Sofia’s bag, I stuffed it into the baby’s wrapping.
When I ran around the corner, the guards did a double take. I turned my back to them and started to run.
“Don’t shoot, he has the boy,” yelled a voice that had to be Suit. I was wondering where he was. I didn’t stick around to see but I was fairly certain by the thunder of footfalls that they were following me. I felt that moment needed chase music so I started humming a “Ride of the Valkyries”.
When I guessed we had gone far enough I stopped, turned and dropped the bundle of clothing.
Suit face was red with anger. They’re always angry when I run. “Where’s the black-holed child?” he swore.
“What child is that, exactly?” Suit and all the other guards raised their weapons. I smiled my most arrogant smile.
“Tell me or we shoot you and blow up that garbage scow you call a ship.”
Last week’s cliffhanger was more intense than this one. Still awesome!
Last week’s cliffhanger was more intense than this one. Still awesome!