Part 24 - Spiked
March 18th 2007 09:37
“What is it?” asked Hu.
Wiping froth from his mouth La said, “Beer.”
“No, what’s it made of?” she asked again impatiently.
“I don’t know,” said La, “It’s wet stuff that tastes great, have some more.”
They had returned to the pub, six weeks after La’s first visit. Initially La didn’t want to tell the others he could fly. Then all he could to was talk about it - flying is great, everyone should fly, flying is important, flying is this and flying is that, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Eventually Ru said, “Show us.” It was all the encouragement he needed, but first they had to have money.
Each provided an item they believed to be of great value: some crystals, some bits of metal, a beverage-pot and a ring. La set out early one morning looking for places he could sell the items.
A jeweller who spent a lot of time looking at La from head to toe, as if saying, “I suspect you are a figment of my imagination. Let me look at you once more so I may remember you clearly should I need to tell my doctor”, told him it was all worthless.
Disheartened, La headed back to the ship but spotted a merchant who sold beverages on the way. Wondering if he could get anything for the pot, he was given a fist full of money and made to promise to return with more pots.
Ru took a sip from his beer and pondered the drink. “It seems so be sugar based and is fermented with some sort of bacteria. The combination of the two, with time to age it, has given it these bubbles and bitter flavour that make it so enjoyable. To sit in a Pub drinking one of these drinks is a pleasant diversion from the ordinary. We should do it more often.” He put down his drink and smiled.
“You’ve had too much,” remarked Je.
Ignoring her Ru sipped some more and asked La, “Why did you bring us here?”
“This is how it worked last time,” he whispered across the table. “I came in here, had one of these drinks, felt strange and went out the back, and then I was flying.”
“So, we should go out the back now?” asked Je.
“No, I don't feel strange yet,” said La. “Give it a minute and finish your drinks.”
They drank and waited. Nothing happened. La purchased another round of drinks.
They drank and waited. Nothing happened.
“Well, this has been fun,” said Ru, “but now I’ve got a headache and I think we should get back to the ship.”
“No,” said Je, “lets stay. I’m enjoying this new culture.” She burped and a wisp of smoke escaped her mouth unnoticed.
“I don’t want to go either,” said Hu. “We should make the most of this money and see what else we can buy. It might be fun!”
Ru glared at La, “What did you say La?” he asked.
“I didn’t say anything.” La stammered.
Ru’s voice got louder, “You said I was boring!”
“I did not!” La defended himself.
Standing, Ru leant across the table and threatened, “Yes you did!”
“Sit down Ru, he didn’t say it, but that doesn’t mean we weren't all thinking it.” A sizzling sound emanated from deep in Je’s throat as she burped again.
Ru was hurt, “Do you think I’m boring?” He looked at each of them. “Oh yes, you do, all of you. You all think I’m boring. Hu! I am not a lazy lover!”
Hu looked confused, “I didn’t say you were.”
“You wished our sex life was more like La and Je’s.”
“I didn’t say that. Ru, sit down before the natives come and throw us out!”
Ru threw his hands over his ears and shouted, “Stop yelling at me! It was not my fault Bo died!”
The others sat quietly watching while Ru screamed and ran from the room.
“OK,” said La. “No more beer for him.”
“I’ll go and make sure he gets back the ship OK,” said Hu. “You guys take your time, enjoy.” As she stood she swooned.
“Are you OK?” asked Je.
“Yes, a little dizzy,” she said and held the side of the table to steady herself.
“We should all go,” La said and stood. “Perhaps when I drank this beer I imagined I was flying.”
The three aliens left the pub. Hu leant on Je, La followed.
Halfway back, rubbing the sides of her head Hu asked, “Can we wait here for a minute?”
“Sure,” said Je, “take your time.”
“I’ll be OK in a minute,” Hu said, leaning on a tree.
“You need a good night’s rest,” La’s voice seemed to come from somewhere above.
Inside her head Hu's world spun faster and faster. She couldn’t tell where sounds began and ended.
“I have such a sore throat,” Je complained and turned to La for comfort but he was not there. “La! Where did you go?” she called.
His voice came distant, “I’m up here!”
Looking up, Je saw him above the tree, floating. Her eyes boggled at the sight and gas rose in her throat. Her mouth opened to release it but instead released a billowing tongue of fire that licked the air, and burnt La’s boots.
“He can fly!” Hu spoke so quickly no one could hear her.
Wiping froth from his mouth La said, “Beer.”
“No, what’s it made of?” she asked again impatiently.
“I don’t know,” said La, “It’s wet stuff that tastes great, have some more.”
They had returned to the pub, six weeks after La’s first visit. Initially La didn’t want to tell the others he could fly. Then all he could to was talk about it - flying is great, everyone should fly, flying is important, flying is this and flying is that, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Eventually Ru said, “Show us.” It was all the encouragement he needed, but first they had to have money.
Each provided an item they believed to be of great value: some crystals, some bits of metal, a beverage-pot and a ring. La set out early one morning looking for places he could sell the items.
A jeweller who spent a lot of time looking at La from head to toe, as if saying, “I suspect you are a figment of my imagination. Let me look at you once more so I may remember you clearly should I need to tell my doctor”, told him it was all worthless.
Disheartened, La headed back to the ship but spotted a merchant who sold beverages on the way. Wondering if he could get anything for the pot, he was given a fist full of money and made to promise to return with more pots.
Ru took a sip from his beer and pondered the drink. “It seems so be sugar based and is fermented with some sort of bacteria. The combination of the two, with time to age it, has given it these bubbles and bitter flavour that make it so enjoyable. To sit in a Pub drinking one of these drinks is a pleasant diversion from the ordinary. We should do it more often.” He put down his drink and smiled.
Ignoring her Ru sipped some more and asked La, “Why did you bring us here?”
“This is how it worked last time,” he whispered across the table. “I came in here, had one of these drinks, felt strange and went out the back, and then I was flying.”
“So, we should go out the back now?” asked Je.
“No, I don't feel strange yet,” said La. “Give it a minute and finish your drinks.”
They drank and waited. Nothing happened. La purchased another round of drinks.
They drank and waited. Nothing happened.
“Well, this has been fun,” said Ru, “but now I’ve got a headache and I think we should get back to the ship.”
“No,” said Je, “lets stay. I’m enjoying this new culture.” She burped and a wisp of smoke escaped her mouth unnoticed.
“I don’t want to go either,” said Hu. “We should make the most of this money and see what else we can buy. It might be fun!”
Ru glared at La, “What did you say La?” he asked.
“I didn’t say anything.” La stammered.
Ru’s voice got louder, “You said I was boring!”
“I did not!” La defended himself.
Standing, Ru leant across the table and threatened, “Yes you did!”
“Sit down Ru, he didn’t say it, but that doesn’t mean we weren't all thinking it.” A sizzling sound emanated from deep in Je’s throat as she burped again.
Ru was hurt, “Do you think I’m boring?” He looked at each of them. “Oh yes, you do, all of you. You all think I’m boring. Hu! I am not a lazy lover!”
Hu looked confused, “I didn’t say you were.”
“You wished our sex life was more like La and Je’s.”
“I didn’t say that. Ru, sit down before the natives come and throw us out!”
Ru threw his hands over his ears and shouted, “Stop yelling at me! It was not my fault Bo died!”
The others sat quietly watching while Ru screamed and ran from the room.
“OK,” said La. “No more beer for him.”
“I’ll go and make sure he gets back the ship OK,” said Hu. “You guys take your time, enjoy.” As she stood she swooned.
“Are you OK?” asked Je.
“Yes, a little dizzy,” she said and held the side of the table to steady herself.
“We should all go,” La said and stood. “Perhaps when I drank this beer I imagined I was flying.”
The three aliens left the pub. Hu leant on Je, La followed.
Halfway back, rubbing the sides of her head Hu asked, “Can we wait here for a minute?”
“Sure,” said Je, “take your time.”
“I’ll be OK in a minute,” Hu said, leaning on a tree.
“You need a good night’s rest,” La’s voice seemed to come from somewhere above.
Inside her head Hu's world spun faster and faster. She couldn’t tell where sounds began and ended.
“I have such a sore throat,” Je complained and turned to La for comfort but he was not there. “La! Where did you go?” she called.
His voice came distant, “I’m up here!”
Looking up, Je saw him above the tree, floating. Her eyes boggled at the sight and gas rose in her throat. Her mouth opened to release it but instead released a billowing tongue of fire that licked the air, and burnt La’s boots.
“He can fly!” Hu spoke so quickly no one could hear her.
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