Eloi
13
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Eloi Chapter Thirteen
Disclaimers Apply
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ProPhile: *gloke *
Morgan: Not a newt…how about a tiny tsitsi
fly? Readers/Reviewers:
contrary to popular belief, was not entirely fearless.
necessary to get through life. It kept
people from doing stupid things, like eating bad cheese or driving through the
Holland Tunnel during rush hour. But, he
thought bitterly, he would be damned if he acted fearful in front of the
kids. “Ororo,” he said quietly but
firmly, “you stay out here. I mean it.”
She raised
a brow. “You don’t have to tell me
twice…” She nodded at Mark.
snorted. “Not a chance.
corridor, near the single rooms?” He
cracked his neck, a nervous gesture, and nodded at Mark.
Mark
swallowed hard, his eyes going a bit wider than before.
lie…calling a proper bomb squad out,” he said, faltering slightly under
stern glare. “Or not.
I will haunt you. And I mean the whole
chains and moaning, making the walls bleed sort, not some namby
pamby bump in the night.”
“I’ll keep
an eye out,”
dryly. “C’mon.”
towards the front door, knowing the Englishman was behind him.
Mark was
not truly afraid of the bomb or potential bomb, but he was not looking forward
to the idea of dealing with this so called Friends of Humanity group.
watching them right now, spying on them, maybe from within…
upstairs, so wrapped in his own thoughts had he been.
had come to a halt at the head of the stairs, stepping aside to let Mark onto
the landing. He was sniffing the air
intently, not an animal gesture but definitely one bespeaking a level of
sensory perception Mark himself lacked.
whisper.
“Nope,”
shrugged. “Didn’t
expect anything. With as much
noise as was going on here when Lance said they heard the thing hit the floor,
I didn’t expect it to be sound sensitive.”
He smiled grimly as his eyes lit on the object of his search.
Mark
trailed behind
stopping when he did and kneeling. The
object on the floor was a plastic tube, the kind found in the pneumatic devices
at bank drive through lines. It had been
painted black, flakes of the coloring chipped away to show a jumble of wires
inside. “Well…this just looks stupid,”
Mark declared. “Who the Hell makes a
bomb out of that? I’m willing to bet
money this is a sick prank or someone who lost several fingers after
downloading The Anarchist Cookbook.”
grunted noncommittally and reached for the device, then paused.
when you need him? He’d be able to have
this thing apart in no time…”
“Why don’t
I go find him then?” Mark suggested, making as if to stand up.
shot him a glare and he smiled faintly.
“Or not… Okay, what’re we going to do about this?
sighed. “That would make too much sense,
wouldn’t it?”
sighed. “We called ‘em, Mark.
help right now.”
“That,”
Mark said with an air of disbelief, “is insane!
There’s children here!”
“And as far
as the cops are concerned, the kids are fine… they said they’re sending a car
out ‘soon’.”
reached gingerly for the tube again, then froze.
“Hear what?”
Mark recoiled on instinct, rising to his feet and taking a giant step
backwards.
“It
clicked.”
“No, it
didn’t. I would’ve heard a click and it
didn’t click!”
stood and took a step backwards as well, the opposite direction as Mark.
grimaced, the hissing sound emanating from the tube clearly audible.
“Thanks for
pointing that out. I was wondering if it
was you who’d sprung a leak or the tube…”
Mark was edging towards the stairs.
“Usually, in situations like this, it’s best to vacate the premises.”
“I agree…”
turned, already in a run on Mark’s heels.
The hissing stopped and a loud snap, like plastic breaking, filled the
hall. Both men reflexively threw
themselves at the ground, covering their heads.
Mark opened his eyes after a
moment, when no further sound came, and he took a silent inventory.
organs, check… _
over his head, “do you feel like an absolute tool or is that just me right now?”
“No comment.”
pushed himself up into a sitting position and snorted.
Mark rolled onto his back and sat
up, starting at the mess in the hall.
Papers littered the carpet, stuck to one or two spots on the wall, and
drifted lazily in the breeze from the open window.
with no small amount of annoyance. “Or
they’re having flashbacks to propaganda bombings from the last few wars.”
rolled his eyes. “We gotta
get you cable in your room…” He stood
and frowned. “This is idiotic…”
paper and read it aloud. “The Friends of
Humanity oppose mutant scum.” He crumpled the paper and threw it aside.
“The human race must be purged,”
Mark read. “And a Bible verse.
pocket. “Well, this is both
anticlimactic and aggravating.”
cocked his head to one side ever so slightly and sighed.
“Fingerprints?”
“They don’t have mine,”
laughed. He shot Mark a sideways glance
as they trod downstairs. “And I’m
Mark did not break stride but he
was overcome by a curiously stuffed expression for a brief moment.
“Would you believe me if I told you
I’m psychic?”
Mark snorted and stepped through
the door
no idea what you’re implying?”
“Nope.
“Sure…just stay out of my sock
drawer if you want to maintain plausible deniability.”