I would say that the last few months have been fine for planet, but much less fine for the humans living on it. Which perhaps is what should be worrying us :)
Renewal "You have to show your card." Anneliese nudged her brother's arm as they neared the front of the queue for the Emergency room. "My insurance card?" He sounded puzzled, but he had landed on his head at least twice after he'd slipped at the edge of the cliff. It was a small cliff, and relatively shallow with a slow-moving river at the bottom; they'd been able to drag him out quite easily, but the head-wound looked bad and he seemed concussed. "No, silly," said Anneliese. She was trying hard to sound cheerful. "Your NRA card. The nurses are Armed by Caduceus, remember?" She peered at him, trying to see if his pupils were dilated too far but the sun was setting and the hospital hadn't turned its search-lights on yet. He wasn't responding. "If you can show you're pro gun-rights we'll get seen faster." Still nothing. "A lot faster." "I don't want to be here," he said, stiffening. "Why am I here?" Anneliese fumbled in her purse and found her NRA card. "Goddamn it," she whispered as she checked it. "It was up for renewal last week. They're not going to accept it." She felt panic rising up from her stomach like heat. "Why am I here?" Her brother was starting to sound stubborn now. "Rub your head," she said, trying to sound bossy. He hesitated, then ran his hand across his forehead. When he lowered it he could see the red blood smeared over it. "You hit your head," she said. "While out hunting." That was a lie, they'd been trying to find a swimming hole that wasn't covered with litter, but maybe he'd remember it as hunting for a swimming hole. "That's why you need to show your NRA card." "I need my NRA card," he repeated. She didn't like how emotionless his words sounded, and when she took his arm she noticed that he felt cold. He put his bloody hand in his pocket and pulled his wallet out and she bit her lip; he was fastidious and this was very out of character. He stared at his wallet, turning it over as though it was some kind of rare gem. "Next!" She ushered him forward, and pulled the wallet from his grip. "Guns or no guns?" The security guard had a chest wider than a bull and a name badge that read "Nurse Harmony" that would have been funny some other time. "Guns," she said, pawing through her brother's wallet. Why did he have a photograph of a toaster in there? She found the NRA card, and checked it, relieved to see that his membership was up to date. She showed it to the guard. "Queue 2," he said, pointing at a help-point that had no-one queueing and a nurse waiting to help. Anneliese smiled as much as she dared, and chivvied her brother along. "No guns," she heard behind her, and she flinched even before the sound of the gun-shot.
I like how you started this in such a way that it took me a sec to realize this was another continuation. Although by the end it was very, very clear. Yeesh.
2 comments:
I would say that the last few months have been fine for planet, but much less fine for the humans living on it. Which perhaps is what should be worrying us :)
Renewal
"You have to show your card." Anneliese nudged her brother's arm as they neared the front of the queue for the Emergency room.
"My insurance card?" He sounded puzzled, but he had landed on his head at least twice after he'd slipped at the edge of the cliff. It was a small cliff, and relatively shallow with a slow-moving river at the bottom; they'd been able to drag him out quite easily, but the head-wound looked bad and he seemed concussed.
"No, silly," said Anneliese. She was trying hard to sound cheerful. "Your NRA card. The nurses are Armed by Caduceus, remember?" She peered at him, trying to see if his pupils were dilated too far but the sun was setting and the hospital hadn't turned its search-lights on yet. He wasn't responding. "If you can show you're pro gun-rights we'll get seen faster." Still nothing. "A lot faster."
"I don't want to be here," he said, stiffening. "Why am I here?"
Anneliese fumbled in her purse and found her NRA card. "Goddamn it," she whispered as she checked it. "It was up for renewal last week. They're not going to accept it." She felt panic rising up from her stomach like heat.
"Why am I here?" Her brother was starting to sound stubborn now.
"Rub your head," she said, trying to sound bossy. He hesitated, then ran his hand across his forehead. When he lowered it he could see the red blood smeared over it. "You hit your head," she said. "While out hunting." That was a lie, they'd been trying to find a swimming hole that wasn't covered with litter, but maybe he'd remember it as hunting for a swimming hole. "That's why you need to show your NRA card."
"I need my NRA card," he repeated. She didn't like how emotionless his words sounded, and when she took his arm she noticed that he felt cold. He put his bloody hand in his pocket and pulled his wallet out and she bit her lip; he was fastidious and this was very out of character. He stared at his wallet, turning it over as though it was some kind of rare gem.
"Next!"
She ushered him forward, and pulled the wallet from his grip.
"Guns or no guns?" The security guard had a chest wider than a bull and a name badge that read "Nurse Harmony" that would have been funny some other time.
"Guns," she said, pawing through her brother's wallet. Why did he have a photograph of a toaster in there? She found the NRA card, and checked it, relieved to see that his membership was up to date. She showed it to the guard.
"Queue 2," he said, pointing at a help-point that had no-one queueing and a nurse waiting to help. Anneliese smiled as much as she dared, and chivvied her brother along.
"No guns," she heard behind her, and she flinched even before the sound of the gun-shot.
Greg - indeed.
I like how you started this in such a way that it took me a sec to realize this was another continuation. Although by the end it was very, very clear. Yeesh.
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