Auria

Chapter 19 - It's Here

Sot's screams echoed throughout the partial mud-walls of the old dwellings.  The crew stood downwind as he'd wished.

“What can we do?” asked Auria.
“Respect.” said Bob.
“I don't know what to do for him.” said Gen.  “Now would be a good time to trick and kill us, if he'd wanted.”
“Bob took Sot home.” said 238.  “Why would he kill us now?”
“He's a great liar.” said Gen.
“So are you.” coughed Auria, a tuft of her red hair shivering in the wind, mustered by impure thoughts.
“Perspective.” said Bob, turning to allow another insect to land atop the open palm of his hand.

Bob felt a rush of adrenaline, causing a twinkle in his nose to ripple, forcing a wave of red shadows to expand across the landscape.  The lapping wave revealed everything behind it in shades of red when it passed, changing the scenery slightly as the grass-shading switched from the left to the right.

In his mind's eye, a ship landed.  Approaching aliens scanned the area and found glowing marks on the ground.  There was a moist spot of soil inside the busted dwelling and a crescent shape foot-fall in the mud on the other side of the wall.  Bob blinked.  When both eyes opened, the red grass had gone, replaced in normal shades of brown.  He turned to see 238 digging a moon-shaped trench with the toe of his shoe, exactly like the one from his vision.  He grunted.  The spiked insect squeaked as well, making eye contact with Bob, blinking and hopping away.

“I didn't think this could...” screamed Sot.  “It's happening...”
“Do you need help?” said Auria, raising hands in the air and partially opening her mouth toward Gen, expecting him to do something.
“Waaa.” screamed a high-pitched reverberation from inside the dwelling walls.  “That was so weird.” it said.
“I'm glad it's finally over.” said Sot.  “You waited until I came back home, you wretched heathen.”
“Don't blame me.” said the high-pitched whine.  “You're the one who pushed me out.”
“Go... just go.” said Sot.  “I need a minute to collect my decency.”

Through the busted doorway bounced a tiny, little version of Sot.  Its head seemed way larger than its body and thin, long, wet arms reached skyward in salute of some immoral victory.

“The Emperor has arrived.” it said.  “Time to dance.”

The baby monkey pounced along the side of a busted wall, running and jumping without a care.  Then, it held onto the wall with one arm and began to spank itself in the rear in some unheard rhythm only known to itself.

“This... is Loof.” said Gen.  “It's about time you showed up.”
“Wow.” said Auria.  “I knew there was something more to this.”
“My name is Loofinda Reesilla Gordomoblassa.” said Loof, still dancing and shaking its rear.  “Pardon my voice and legs.  I'm a newborn baby and can't be expected to be perfect all the time.”
“So, are you female?” asked Auria.
“We're both male and female.” said Sot, leaning into the door from the other side.  “We choose what we are, either male, or female, or both.  Loof chose...”
“Neither.” Loof responded in its tiny voice.  It climbed down the wall, jumped and landed atop Sot's shoulders.  “I've been inside my Mother for over 36 years and I still can't decide.  He thinks it's childish of me not to choose.”

Auria rubbed an aching head and shivered squeamishly, then walked toward the ancient ruins.  Loof climbed to the ground and lept into her arms, meeting her halfway up the hill.  She held Loof straight in front with one hand as he spun circles, still raising his rear in the air, wiggling to the unknown beat.

“So, you called him your Mother?” she asked, carrying the baby monkey aloft and down the hillside.
“Yes.” said Loof.  “Pardon, but my dancing is caused by hormones.  I'm very receptive right now to outside, sexual influences.”

She carefully tossed Loof to Gen, who caught the baby and held it as far from himself as possible.

“You're not getting any of that stuff on me.” he said, tossing the baby once more to 238.

Loof latched arms around his neck and pulled closer, cradling a bright-red buttocks against his chest.  238 held both arms straight out to the side, as if to deny any wrongdoing.

Behind Bob, a camouflaged lizard quietly poked its head from the higher grass where a slow tongue reached, shot out and captured a long-legged, brown hopper.  Halfway back into its mouth, the tongue stopped, unfurled and released the insect to fly off again into the morning breeze.  The lizard spun round and disappeared.  Bob smiled his usual, minuscule, lip-quivering grimace.

“238,” said Gen, “it's time for you to pick a name for yourself.”

Auria huffed and turned away in deep thought.

“Why, because he's the only one left.” she said.
“Exactly.”
“I don't know if I want a name.  I'll be known by that name forever.” said 238.
“You tell 'em, Babe.” said Loof, curling and climbing further around his neck.  “You take all the time you want.”
“Babe!” laughed Gen.  “That's it.  We'll call you Babe.”
“Only if you want to fight.” yelled 238.

Gen closed eyes, slowing down his heart-rate in that very instant.  The sounds of chirping and flying wings became longer, more drawn out and the blowing wind drifted to a crawl, nearly visible when Gen opened eyes.  The gift had taken him to the place he'd desired.  Bob raised his long-brimmed hat, staring straight at Gen.

The Master took one step toward 238.  Bob carried five steps in his direction.  The wind ceased completely, leaving visible waves in the air as Bob walked directly to Gen, untied and pulled Gen's pants below his knees, then waddled back to where he'd stood.  A flash occurred overhead, fired through the clouds and lit up the heavens.  Bob took notice, grunted and lowered eyelids.  Gen fell flat on his face, dumbfounded.

“Time.” said Bob.
“Time for what?” asked 238, not noticing Gen laying pant-less at his feet.
“Time to go.” said Gen laying face-first in the dirt.  “There's something I don't like about this place.  It smells metallic and musty and dark.  It reminds me of...  death.”

His face sniffed the soil where he lay.  Sot pulled the silver cane back into his ringed hand and limped down the slope toward Bob's ship.

“It is time to leave.” said Sot.  “That smell is what happens when a nuclear winter kills everything except for the basic animals.  Hoppers and lizards have run a-muck.”
“Who nuked your planet?” asked Gen.
“I did.” said Sot.

Bob nodded.  The crew 'plus one' boarded Bob's rectangular shuttle and disappeared into the blue vortex, heading toward an uncertain future.