| The Two Cities part seven |
TK, Matt, and Tai jumped on top of the Sebring. "Funny how we all meet again here, of all places," Tai said. "We're still a little confused, though." Matt planted his feet on the backseat and leaned forward. "Well," said Mimi, "let's go somewhere warmer. The wind has picked up." She drove them down the ramp, across the ice, and to a small house standing on a hill. "Everyone left when the trees broke the dam," Kari said, getting out of the Sebring. "And this house looked the nicest, so we raided it." They all gathered in the living room with beer and smokes. Mimi lit a fire in the fireplace. "Shall we tell the story then?" Kari said. "What day is it?" "The 5th of January," replied Matt. Kari counted in her head. "Well, that was only 3 days ago! Man, it feels like forever. But, simply put, Plastic Surgery Victims caught us and stuffed us in the back of their vans." She told what happened at the roadside park. "Oh," said Tai. "Here you go." He held out Kari's silver belt. "Hi, thanks. But I don't really want it anymore." Mimi continued the story. "Then we ran into Tree and stayed the night with him. The next morning, we went to a Treemook and a boring cave tour, we stayed with Maple, and wandered over here on the top of a Tree. Not very interesting, I'm afraid." "And then, then the fun began," added Kari. "Tree started pounding on the Sears Tower, calling for Ken. Then all the trees started tearing up buildings, everything around them. They just picked up a mall and crunched it in their fists. Positively amazing. Then one tree, what was his name, Mimi?" "Beech." "Right. Beech caught fire from the steam coming out of one of the factories they were breaking, and the trees became even angrier." "But it didn't seem like they did anything at first." Mimi threw her cigarette into the fireplace. "Tree talked to them, and they went off. Some stayed and watched the Sears Tower. Some dug deep trenches and stuff. Then they broke the dam by that lake. Lake Michigan, I think it is. And the water just flowed through the next river, and the next, and spiled out into these trenches the trees dug. Tree picked us up so we wouldn't drown; the water nearly came to his waist. But those trees were in a hurry to get to the Interstate, because it was below 40 out there--" "Fucking cold." "--and they didn't want to get stuck in it when it froze. But when the water froze over, they went right back to the Sears Tower. Would be pointless if Ken escaped right then." "And then the craziest thing happened. A Ferrari came by and it was Joe! It was like seeing a ghost! Did he say, 'Hi Kari, nice to see you again?' No. He said, 'Where the fuck is Tree? Hurry up, you lazy bum!'" "Very rude of him," said Mimi. "Hold on just one minute," said TK. "When was this? Either I'm getting my days mixed up ... or ... um ... something's not right here." "Who cares?" said Kari. "You think too much. Well, when Joe was done talking to Tree, I asked Joe where he'd been. And he said, 'Wherever I've been, I've been back.' And apparantly, Joe had told Tree of the Tongue Ring, even though they didn't talk for long. Poor Tree. That must've been a rather 'impatient' conversation." Mimi giggled. "I really don't know what else there is to tell." "How about The Lizard Man?" asked TK. "How'd he get here?" "Oh, I forgot about him. He came speeding through in an old jalopy. It wasn't long before you guys came." "We thought it would be you," added Kari. "Tree had been hooming to himself about someone we'd like to see." "But Tree shoved the Human Serpent in the Sears Tower. Good old Tree." "He is old." "And Tree told us to go wait on the Interstate for the Governor of Wyoming and greet him with fitting words." "Who kenw the governor was so young? And good-looking." Tai stood up. "Well, I should very much like to explore Chicago now. Have you two found any ice skates?" The girls laughed. "The first thing we looked for," said Mimi. "There's a skating rink not far from here with plenty of sizes to choose from." "Might find some to fit your feet," Kari said to Tai. Early the next morning, Kat and Sora (and let's not forget CAC) went to the F&U Body Shop downtown. They actually had a pretty big set-up, plus washing supplies and heat. A lot of people actually showed up, even with the lack of advertising. It was probably because all the salt and winter roads really pile up, and let's face it: who really washes their car regularly in the winter? They made about $200, $5 a car. They gave the F&U $20 for letting them use their shop for the afternoon. "All right," said Sora. "Guidelines. Food. Gas. Cheap hotels. In fact, why don't we just drive all night, then we wouldn't have to pay for a motel, and we'd get there faster." Kat agreed to that, and they got gas and some chips for dinner, then were off on the road again. Two and a half hours later, they turned off at Ibapan into Nevada. They noticed an immediate difference. It was definitely warmer, drier, and ... different. Neither girl could exactly explain it. They wound around on highways until they got to I-80, an hour later. I-80 was deserted, too. Sure, it's not overly populated, but they only saw 2 cars on their hour on I-80. The Oasis exit came up. The home of the Grim Reapers. Kat closed her eyes and put her turn signal on. Sora heard the blink, blink of the turn signal. The Grand Am was slowly veering towards the right. "No!" CAC crawled forward and turned the steering wheel so the Grand Am was back on the Interstate. The blinker turned off and Kat opened her eyes. Sora took the wheel. "CAC says we shouldn't, and I agree with him this time. Just keep driving, Kat." Kat took the wheel back. "Right. Sorry." They rolled over something and heard a pop! hissssss ... Flat tire. Kat pulled over onto the shoulder and got out. "Oh, that's just peachy." "There's no spare," Sora said. They both looked at CAC. He stood there, then pointed to a tunnel in the hills about a mile down the Interstate. "We're almost there," he said. "Come on, girls, come on." He started walking along the shoulder. Kat and Sora grabbed their backpacks. They couldn't really do much else but follow him. They entered into the tunnel. All the lights were burnt out, save a couple. They had seen no cars to hitch a ride from. Not that anyone would've stopped after seeing CAC. "Hey, Kat," Sora said. Kat stopped and looked at her. "Do you suppose we could make a movie out of this?" "Out of what?" "Our adventure. You know, the worst times of America, and two simple Mainens to save it. Do you suppose it would be rated PG-13 or R?" "Uh ..." Kat had to think about that one." Well, who would play me?" "How about ... Liv Tyler?" "Her hair is brown. Mine's red." "And who would play me?" Kat laughed. "I think the real question is: who would play CAC?" She turned around again. "CAC! Who do you want to play you in a movie?" "Where'd he go?" Sora started walking down the road again. "Oh, I don't like this. What if he's telling someone we're here?" Kat yawned. "Just as long as that someone gives us a ride and a bed to sleep in." "Who cares? Let's just sleep here." Sora put down her bag and laid on the asphalt. "Eh ... OK." Kat did the same, and fell asleep on her backpack. Very early the next morning, Joe got everyone up. "I want to pay Ken a visit before we leave him here with only trees." So they went down to the Sears Tower. All the trees had gone away a couple yards, like Joe ordered, so maybe Ken would come outside. Only Joe, Tai, Davis, and Cody went to the door, but TK and Matt insisted on tagging along. Everyone else had to wait on the "sidewalk." Kari and Mimi skated in little figure 8's around the guys from Wyoming. "Why'd we come?" asked Kari. "We could be in our little house, all nice and warm." "As long as it's not snowing." Joe knocked on the big glass doors. "Ken! Come out!" A window on the third floor opened and The Lizard Man stuck his head out. "Go away." He closed the window. A minute later, it opened again, and a voice floated out of it. "What would you like? I'm not selling anything." Ken poked his head out. "Well," said Joe, "do you have anything you'd like to unsay?" "'Unsay?' That's hardly a word." Joe shrugged. "Well, that's your choice. I am now the President of the Chess Club and I kick you out of it! So hand over your Chess Club badge and memorabilia." Ken went back inside and a couple things fluttered to the ice. Then something large flew out at Joe. It missed him, fell on the ice with a crack, and rolled over to Kari. "The nerve!" Davis said. "No, he didn't throw it. It came from above. By The Lizard Man, I guess." Joe turned to Kari. "Yo, ho! I'll take that, hoper. No one said you could have it." He took it from her and put it in an inside pocket of his coat. Then he skated away. The others followed him. Tree came up to them. "Ah, how did things go?" "All right." Joe introduced Tree to Tai, TK, and Matt. "Oh ..." said Tree. "From Iowa, eh? Beautiful forest there." Joe spoke again. "We're leaving, Tree. So I must take your 2 guards away from you." "Oh, I shall miss you," he said to Mimi and Kari. "If you hear word in your forest of the trees of female persuasion, please come and tell me." "We will," Mimi promised. Joe turned to Tree. "Tree, you need to make sure Ken does not escape." "Hoom, what do you take me for?" "Ah. Anyway. Good-bye, Tree." They went back to the house where they were staying in and gathered their stuff. Mimi got to ride with Joe in the Ferrari, and Kari rode with Tai. They started off on the Interstate. "So, Joe," said Mimi, "are we driving far today?" "As far as the Ferrari takes us." |
 |