I'm pretty sure that any gathering in this city is the kind of thing you'd be best advised to turn down an invitation to... ;-)
The gathering As the noise of the footsteps died down something heavy and warm landed on my shoulder and it took every ounce of self-control not to scream. I shuddered, tensing my chest and holding my breath, forcing myself to stay calm and readying myself to pull away and punch. "What was that?" asked Ben, and I nearly pulled away harder to punch him. "Don't do that! You near on gave me a heart-attack sneaking up like that!" Ben's throaty chuckle was normal, but not in the least calming. "Remember that time we were hiding amongst the mannequins in that clothing warehouse?" he said quietly. "And the caretaker was getting suspicious and kept going up to mannequins and staring into their eyes, muttering how he knew they were moving around when he wasn't looking?" "He smelled like overripe bananas," I said, equally quietly. My heart was still racing, but the memory of another escape was helping to settle it. "And you did keep moving and gathering the mannequins when he wasn't looking. You'd wave, I'd make a small noise to attract his attention, and you'd move the mannequins." "Remember I got them gathered right up behind him?" I laughed now, feeling relaxed again. "Yeah, and when he tried to step back and bumped into them, and turned round and saw you'd put their arms above their heads like they were trying to grab him, he screamed like a little girl, wet himself, and ran out of the building." "So what was that?" Ben gestured to the street, so I pointed out the pinpricks of orange light and told him what I'd see so far. "No idea what's hooting?" "No, and if its the same things that ran past, they ain't no birds." "They say there are birds in Africa that are as tall as a man and run," said Ben. "Not sure I believe it myself though." "How would a bird that size fly though?" I said. "Doesn't make sense, it has to be a story to scare the kiddiewinks." "Sun's coming up," said Ben, pointing. I looked where he pointed and saw the lightening sky. "Good," I said looking for landmarks. "That tells us which way is East. Might need that yet to navigate around this city." "We going to look at the boat before it leaves?" Ben sounded casual, but I knew he wouldn't have asked if he didn't want to. "Three of us sneaking around there is going to be noisier than one," I said. "If one goes and gets caught, the other two don't know about it," countered Ben. I thought about that, but then the noise of pounding feet started up again, and we realised that whatever had run past earlier was coming back.
Ah, Ben. Can't resist the chance to scare the holy hell out of his best friend. And another enjoyable backstory to boot! Not sure about the returning, hooting creatures... but perhaps they'll get a look at them this time?
2 comments:
I'm pretty sure that any gathering in this city is the kind of thing you'd be best advised to turn down an invitation to... ;-)
The gathering
As the noise of the footsteps died down something heavy and warm landed on my shoulder and it took every ounce of self-control not to scream. I shuddered, tensing my chest and holding my breath, forcing myself to stay calm and readying myself to pull away and punch.
"What was that?" asked Ben, and I nearly pulled away harder to punch him.
"Don't do that! You near on gave me a heart-attack sneaking up like that!" Ben's throaty chuckle was normal, but not in the least calming.
"Remember that time we were hiding amongst the mannequins in that clothing warehouse?" he said quietly. "And the caretaker was getting suspicious and kept going up to mannequins and staring into their eyes, muttering how he knew they were moving around when he wasn't looking?"
"He smelled like overripe bananas," I said, equally quietly. My heart was still racing, but the memory of another escape was helping to settle it. "And you did keep moving and gathering the mannequins when he wasn't looking. You'd wave, I'd make a small noise to attract his attention, and you'd move the mannequins."
"Remember I got them gathered right up behind him?"
I laughed now, feeling relaxed again. "Yeah, and when he tried to step back and bumped into them, and turned round and saw you'd put their arms above their heads like they were trying to grab him, he screamed like a little girl, wet himself, and ran out of the building."
"So what was that?" Ben gestured to the street, so I pointed out the pinpricks of orange light and told him what I'd see so far.
"No idea what's hooting?"
"No, and if its the same things that ran past, they ain't no birds."
"They say there are birds in Africa that are as tall as a man and run," said Ben. "Not sure I believe it myself though."
"How would a bird that size fly though?" I said. "Doesn't make sense, it has to be a story to scare the kiddiewinks."
"Sun's coming up," said Ben, pointing. I looked where he pointed and saw the lightening sky. "Good," I said looking for landmarks. "That tells us which way is East. Might need that yet to navigate around this city."
"We going to look at the boat before it leaves?" Ben sounded casual, but I knew he wouldn't have asked if he didn't want to.
"Three of us sneaking around there is going to be noisier than one," I said.
"If one goes and gets caught, the other two don't know about it," countered Ben.
I thought about that, but then the noise of pounding feet started up again, and we realised that whatever had run past earlier was coming back.
Greg - yes, I should think so.
Ah, Ben. Can't resist the chance to scare the holy hell out of his best friend. And another enjoyable backstory to boot! Not sure about the returning, hooting creatures... but perhaps they'll get a look at them this time?
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