Secret Technology,
Unrequited Love, Absolute Vengeance
© January 2022
- Written by David
Wicker
Please do
not reprint without permission
CHAPTER 6 -
"MEOW"
Slice Of Life (01-12-22)
Hello there and good afternoon.
If I hadn't mentioned I had come down with SOMETHING, not sure what and was coughing up rubber, best way to describe it. Remember that Original Series Star Trek episode called, "Operation: Annihilate" ?
Well it all started with me stepping outside the day after all the illegal fireworks, you know, January 1st, 2022. And - I sensed something. Something not right. I guess it smelled like smoke, but not something pleasant like a fireplace, no, something - chemical.
Not good. Then I started coughing. Coughing so bad I felt like I was going to pass out.
I immediately went back in, closed the door, locked it, shook my head, heated up some coffee and started working on the computer. Then I felt it, a tickle in my throat. Not a bad one. I continued to drink coffee.
Then in a short time, a cough, worse, and worse I had a coughing fit and not a good one. I felt so dizzy and couldn't even stand straight.
I already had a shower but thought I could use another, especially for what I had in mind. I stripped down and took a shower, then REALLY coughed as the water blew all over me and this awful yellow rubbery stuff started coming out - right down the drain. Thick as rubber cement. Much like those beasties in that Star Trek episode.
It felt like a rubber coating all the way from my chest to the inside of my head. All in one day from just stepping outside !
I coughed it out as much as I could, scrubbed down everything hard with soap and water, went outside with a mask to go shopping. Then came home with orange juice, apple juice, cough medicine, a 4-pack of Kleenex and expectorant.
If you don't know what expectorant is you should. It's not cheap, you probably won't find it for less than $10 in any store for any brand - and what it does is loosen up the glue from being sick that's stuck inside your chest and lungs, where you can't cough it out.
This medicine is special and loosens that up so you can cough it out. I've already taken 6-expectorant pills over 6-days now and still am coughing up the rubbery stuff. I'd hate to think where I would be without it though.
Kay from the government who comes and helps me clean, makes meals, etc. said many of her relatives got sick on that very day, New Year's morning. She was getting calls that day about her relatives stepping outside and getting sick. So I wasn't alone. Something was in the air, Covid or otherwise.
So I wanted to test myself for Covid. Getting yourself tested is free. You can do it. Call up Walgreens, tell them you'd like to get tested for Covid, they will set a date and time. Arrive and they will hand you a test.
The test I received was a swab that goes way up the nose. It's quite uncomfortable but free. Then they call you when they have the results, usually a few hours.
If you are exhibiting symptoms of the Covid you should probably wear a mask and get yourself tested to know for certain. And if you haven't gotten your 3 Covid shots, you should, those are also free, at Wal-Mart. Lots of free things to keep you healthy - you should take advantage of them.
So me ? I went to get tested. And got the results sometime later,
Customer Care: 1-800-WALGREENS www.walgreens.com Member of Walgreens Boots Alliance
Swab of internal nose
2022-01-12
(( ID # not for this post ))
Nasal - Anterior Nares
Rapid Diagnostic Test (Nucleic Acid Amplification Test NAAT)
SARS-CoV-2 result: Negative
So, yeah, fortunately I don't have the Covid, but I =DID= catch something. I'm still not sure what. Some people call it the crud, could be fever, flu, I was running a temperature a few days back. I'm not now but still coughing up green. Awful.
Every day I've been having hot drinks and hot vapor. Nothing cold. Hot enough to hopefully loosen what was in there. Hot orange juice. Hot apple juice. Hell I was even having hot Gatorade which actually tastes pretty good. All to try and loosen up the congestion in my lungs.
So, yeah, if you start coughing and feel like there's a tight band around your back or chest, then get that EXPECTORANT from the health section, liquid or capsule. Even Wal-Mart has it, ask someone from the pharmacy for it if you can't find it. It's over-the-counter so you don't need a prescription.
Alright so is anything else happening ? Yes it is. I finally got my free government cellphone which I asked for 6-months ago and not too surprising it's BIG !
Well, maybe not THAT big, but decent sized. About 1.5x bigger across and down on the one I already have. And absolutely light-years ahead of the one Charter gave me, I tested to see how well it plays videogames, much better than my existing one
So I called up Charter to reduced my existing cellphone by $30 by removing internet since the government one has all free internet, texting, and calls.
And yes in the box was information to call up if I had a problem with this government phone. I called voice to talk to them to confirm it was free. A very cheery woman answered me. There would be no charge to me, ever, it has unlimited calls, texting, and internet, enjoy the phone. Just the government's way of thanking me for my service to them.
I tried to tell her that I requested a phone 6-months ago but she wouldn't hear it and interrupted me.
Anything else ?"
"No ma'am, thank you ?"
"Nossir, thank YOU ! goodbye."
*click*
The really creepy thing was when I started to add my sister's phone number to what I thought would be an empty list - HER HOME PHONE NUMBER was already on the new phone !
As well as a bunch of other people's numbers I had no idea who they were ! I certainly didn't recognize their names.
So I called up my sister, confused and really a little scared. I told her that her # was on the "new" government phone before I even put it there !
She was surprised but said that the government are strange people, maybe you are on their radar or something. They're watching what you do. Don't give them any reason to suspect you of something, or they may take more than just your phone away.
I know I worked for the government, I have no idea what I did, not really, just a bunch of typing random digits and letters as far as I could tell. I was told it was for foreign country assistance and I accepted that. I was hired for my typing speed and accuracy at 135wpm, I know that much.
I detail that in my non-fiction online story, "Nancy Principle."
Hell everyone working there knew I was a secretary of sorts. They were too. Well I didn't wear a dress and skirt like they did. But yeah, the work I did, typing, sometimes stapling paper - nothing more sinister than that. Certainly not deserving of being tracked and traced by the government - if that's what this was !
Despite this oddity on the new phone my sister also she said don't get rid of that old phone, keep paying $19/mo. to Charter. And just put that phone away for emergencies.
As for the new government phone, despite it having her phone number. She said I had better just go along with it and use it as a regular phone. They might get suspicious if I didn't.
Still ... Should I call up these other unknown phone numbers on it - to find out who - or what they are ... ?
Hmm ... what else ? Oh yeah, I'm involved with another videogame community. People just seek me out. I definitely didn't ask for this meet-up. If you hadn't guessed I have trouble saying no to people, even total strangers.
So I will have to see how this new partnership turns out. For the moment it seems I will once again be called on for my background in videogame design and programming, and that's fine. Blitz is a good language I'm working in and I'm still coding in it daily.
. . .
In any case, let's return back to the story, Dev's adventures in 5th century England.
. . .
With Felicity incapacitated, I started to read the paper the Molly had given me.
That was until I heard a very gentle knock on the door.
I got up to answer to see it was the same Molly. She was all business-like though with a tray in her hands. "The King thought his daughter and guest might like more dessert."
She looked past me to see Felicity was snoring. "Is she asleep ?" the Molly whispered. I nodded.
"Did you read the note ?" she asked.
I shook my head. She took my arm and pulled me out the door. "Doesn't matter. Look, you may not be aware of this but you weren't alone when you arrived. Someone named Nikki also did. She is catkind, like me."
"Nikki ?" I really was surprised. I had to ask, "Was there a Tyr anywhere in there ?"
"A tear in what ?" she queried, confused.
I shook my head, "No, her name is Tyr. T Y R. Tyr. Is there any word about her ?"
She looked down to her feet, "All I know is Nikki is from the same time as you."
"How did you figure this out ?"
She reached on her dress and pulled off a safety pin. "I think your friend lied to my Uncle saying she made this. He runs a bar in the Catkin Village and gave it to me." She held up the small metal object. "I can tell quite easily this was not made here - not from our time anyways."
I nodded, "Yes, you're right there. That's called a safety pin, you use it - "
But she interrupted me pinning it back on her dress, "Time is short, milord. I am to take you to her - that we may find a way to route these - other humans from burning down our village."
I agreed. It reminded me of years ago slavery, and while I wasn't alive when it was happening, even in modern times we had a separation of white people and black.
And - I think it was entirely by choice they chose the dialect and mannerism from which they carry to even today. Perhaps to remind us just how badly we treated them. Would we ever be forgiven for enslaving other humans ? I didn't want to answer that.
Yet I was glad I never had a slave myself and certainly if I could stop it - I wouldn't let this happen here !
Seeing I understood she started to pull me. We entered the hall where I had my bath when I stopped her.
"Wait, I need to change. These clothes are ridiculous."
"Did Felicity put you up to them ?"
I nodded. She kicked the ground, "Stupid b***h. She's always humiliating and hurting others. Yeah, those are clothes for a fool or a jester. She must not think very highly of you."
Without any care that I was naked or what I stripped out of my clothes to enter my now dry regular clothes which were thoughtfully placed on a sill where the sunlight could hit them. It was night now though.
"What's your name may I ask ?" as I was putting my shoes on.
"Molly." she said, a little confused.
I smirked, "No, your real name. I now know Molly just means female catkind and - it's not a kind word, is it ?"
* * *
She nodded, "No, it's rather insulting really. I am called Laevene Trischek. But we must hurry. I will be missed."
I got the last of my shoes on. I reached into my pockets too to make sure everything else was still there. I still had a dollar in change in my left pocket and the solar-powered calculator in my right, for quick calculations on the go. As we left the castle and she bid me to stay as she was going to get a horse for us to ride.
As she did I knew who could really help me right now. I hissed to the air, "Darceon ! Darceon ! Where are you ?"
The wind seemed to pick up, chill, I shivered, but nothing else happened.
Laevene arrived pulling a horse. "Who are you talking to ?" she asked, looking around.
"Sort of a spirit I guess."
She looked around again, wildly this time, not seeing anything. "Dev, we have no time for spirits, real or imaginary. You must meet Nikki that we can find a resolution to this problem we've had for nearly a century. The slavery must end."
I agreed. She got up, and I tried. Again. Again. After the 3rd time I fell off she couldn't help but laugh. "Dev, you may be a bright man of the future but for riding a horse you suck the - ! Well you suck, let's leave it at that."
I grinned back at her, "Yeah, I probably do. Can you help me, please ?"
She sighed, dismounted and pushing hard on my butt got me up on the horse. Then she got up herself in front of me. Her own cat tail flattened up against the side of her back as to be out of the way. And then we were off.
If you've never ridden a horse before it's a little tricky. Fortunately I could hang on to Laevene's waist. It's a kind of loping movement where you feel your body jerking forward and backwards.
This is due to the way a horse runs. After a-while you get used to it. In a short amount of time we came to the sign where the castle was behind us and the Catkin Village was to our direct right. I noticed the word Village was scratched through many times, clearly vandalism from other humans.
We approached the gate to the Village and a night guard snarled and bore his sharpened pike against the entrance.
"Nohairs are not allowed this evening !" he said with a growl.
Laevene spoke, "Merron, this is Dev. I am taking him to Nikki. There will be an end to the dispute of our races if we are successful."
With that he pulled back and retracted the pike meeting me with a furry if not boyish grin, "Absolutely. Apologies, milord. Welcome to our village. You may come to visit anytime you wish."
And while I might've enjoyed that Laevene whickered to the horse and we were inside headed towards the "Cat's Tail."
Suddenly she pushed me off !
She was in a panic, "Oh God, I just forgot. Sir Pelinoire rides this time of night ! This is his horse ! I must return it ! Here. Just. You ... s**t ! Just stay here until I return, okay ? Can you do that ?"
Without even waiting to see if I agreed she rode off in a big hurry puffing behind a large cloud of pebbles and dust.
I stayed where I was choking on the air for a second but I was definitely getting some unsavory looks from the catkind milling outside the tavern. Finally deciding to bite the bullet, I started to enter inside.
There was all kinds of hub-bub going on.
The moment I entered though that seemed to change. Everyone turned their head to look at me and set down their drink of milk down suddenly making a rather loud THOOM ! throughout the tavern.
Everyone in front of me looked Catkind, like Nikki. All cat eyes were on me, watching my every move. I had only one foot in the door and saw that I had frozen up.
I got really scared. I didn't know what to do !?
Finally I stepped a little forward more to get my balance. Some of the more muscular catkind reacted to this though. They also put a foot forward, like they were ready to stand up and get in my way !
What to do ? What to do ?
It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, on a pillow no less !
Finally I said very clearly, "Meow ?"
END OF CHAPTER 6
Return back HOME
prev chapter
Share This
Email
Facebook
Twitter
Read Request
My Library
Subscribe
Flag Writing
