After All the Exertions
felt in dire need of a beer- these California candy bars
- something other than your face
- “Tut, tut, child; tut, tut,”
- I uncurl and rub the
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After all the exertions of reaching this island, plus those that happened here in the throne room, I felt in dire need of a beer. But I had no time to relax with a cold beverage, not with Jim on the loose. My need to be away from these “California candy bars” (as we used to say at the Academy) was even more dire.
But I acted calm, as if I had come over to their side. Not that I even knew what that meant. But when dealing with knockout gas, if it sprays in something other than your face it’s not very effective. So I needed to be able to get my epaulets close so the tiny squirrels could do their job.
Standing between John and Tatiana, I triggered both my shoulders’ nozzles. With a gentle hiss, the gas sent them tumbling into dreamland. I turned to catch Tatiana, acting surprised, and when Myndilynn leaned close to see what was wrong I gassed her, too.
That just left the Mingus puppet, which remained standing. Its eyes continued to follow my movements. Unnerved, I aimed a squirrel at Mingus and hit him full in the wooden kisser.
“Tut, tut, child; tut, tut,” he said.
“You have to let me go,” I stammered. “It might already be too late to stop my brother.”
“Forget about Jim,” Mingus boomed, and I wondered how he knew which of my brothers I was talking about. “His plans are doomed as soon as I uncurl and rub the sacred banana leaf.”
I ran from the throne room, the life-size puppet’s maniacal laughter echoing after me.
bonus points for using them in order