Spindle’s hood and
show him off. Now, I don’t think he’d give a rat’s ass.
“I can prepare dinner,” Spindle said. “You
may relax, Master Kay.”
Mother grinned. “That’s all right, Spindle.
I’d enjoy doing it myself. I think Socket would like to spend some
time with you.”
Even though Spindle was anatomically neutral,
I still preferred he wear something when we sparred, so he stripped
down to his shorts. His new body was quicker and stronger. By the
time we were done wrestling, my clothes were soaked with sweat and
I was aching. It only took three days to lose my edge.
“I like this new bodyshell.” Spindle admired
his hands. “It seems more capable.”
He started doing Tai Chi in the center of the
lawn, where we wore out the grass. His faceplate was frosty, subtle
hints of green. Perhaps the bodyshell was an upgrade, one that knew
Tai Chi. Could I best him in the desert exercise with this one?
Would he be crushed against a boulder this time?
“I had a dream after the pre-Trial exercise,”
I said.
“Oh, really?” he said, striking a pose. “What
was it?”
“You had me pinned against the rock, pushing
your hand through my shield. You were about to best me.”
“That was not a dream.”
“Yeah, well then I saw something else. I saw
this kid with his dad. I’d seen them a few days earlier when I went
home to see Chute; they were at the tagghet game. But then I
dreamed they were there, in the pre-Trial, standing right behind
you. He kept asking if I was thirsty.”
Spindle turned slowly. “That is very
interesting.”
“And then the kid’s dad turned into my
dad.”
“Why do you think that is?”
“I don’t know. I mean, I only saw the kid for
like a second outside the tagghet game. You know what was even
crazier? I was thirsty . The more I thought about it, the
more I wanted a drink.”
“And then you saw your father.” Spindle
stopped the meditative dance. “Perhaps you should investigate how
you feel about this dream.”
“I would, if I knew what really happened. You
were about to beat me, the next thing I saw you smashed against a
boulder.” I pulled my shirt off and wiped my face. Spindle stood
very still. “Maybe you can fill in the blanks.”
“I cannot discuss this, Master Socket.
Trainer Pon will address the occurrence when you return.”
“Occurrence? So something happened.”
He tipped his head. He’d already said too
much. “I believe it is time to eat.”
Spindle was through the door, helping Mom set
the table.
Conversation over.
Back in the Game
I hadn’t seen the high school since it was
destroyed by the duplicates’ last stand a year ago. Some of the old
live oaks had burned and the reconstruction was expansive. The
building was wide, not tall, with green and tan colors that matched
the countryside. The walls were made of triple-paned insulated
fiberglass that could change colors and opacity, letting in more or
less sunlight depending on the season and time of the day. The
Paladins paid for it all.
I parked far up the road and avoided the
traffic. The last thing I needed was the Garrison getting a traffic
summons. Besides, Spindle would annoy me all night if I parked
illegally. I wanted him to enjoy the game. I wanted to enjoy
the game.
All Spindle needed was a death sickle to
complete the whole grim reaper look, but no one seemed to notice.
There were already enough high school freaks to make him look
normal. He couldn’t get enough of them. So much culture!
“This is where you went to school?” Spindle
asked.
“That’s the place,” I said. “I like to think
of it as my prison years.”
“You were incarcerated?”
“No, it’s just what it felt like.”
Spotlights beamed up ahead into the low-lying
cloud cover, bright enough to illuminate the dusky sky. I avoided
walking through the parking lot where we were sure to find
problems. Rednecks, burners, and every other sort of troublemaker
would be there.
show him off. Now, I don’t think he’d give a rat’s ass.
“I can prepare dinner,” Spindle said. “You
may relax, Master Kay.”
Mother grinned. “That’s all right, Spindle.
I’d enjoy doing it myself. I think Socket would like to spend some
time with you.”
Even though Spindle was anatomically neutral,
I still preferred he wear something when we sparred, so he stripped
down to his shorts. His new body was quicker and stronger. By the
time we were done wrestling, my clothes were soaked with sweat and
I was aching. It only took three days to lose my edge.
“I like this new bodyshell.” Spindle admired
his hands. “It seems more capable.”
He started doing Tai Chi in the center of the
lawn, where we wore out the grass. His faceplate was frosty, subtle
hints of green. Perhaps the bodyshell was an upgrade, one that knew
Tai Chi. Could I best him in the desert exercise with this one?
Would he be crushed against a boulder this time?
“I had a dream after the pre-Trial exercise,”
I said.
“Oh, really?” he said, striking a pose. “What
was it?”
“You had me pinned against the rock, pushing
your hand through my shield. You were about to best me.”
“That was not a dream.”
“Yeah, well then I saw something else. I saw
this kid with his dad. I’d seen them a few days earlier when I went
home to see Chute; they were at the tagghet game. But then I
dreamed they were there, in the pre-Trial, standing right behind
you. He kept asking if I was thirsty.”
Spindle turned slowly. “That is very
interesting.”
“And then the kid’s dad turned into my
dad.”
“Why do you think that is?”
“I don’t know. I mean, I only saw the kid for
like a second outside the tagghet game. You know what was even
crazier? I was thirsty . The more I thought about it, the
more I wanted a drink.”
“And then you saw your father.” Spindle
stopped the meditative dance. “Perhaps you should investigate how
you feel about this dream.”
“I would, if I knew what really happened. You
were about to beat me, the next thing I saw you smashed against a
boulder.” I pulled my shirt off and wiped my face. Spindle stood
very still. “Maybe you can fill in the blanks.”
“I cannot discuss this, Master Socket.
Trainer Pon will address the occurrence when you return.”
“Occurrence? So something happened.”
He tipped his head. He’d already said too
much. “I believe it is time to eat.”
Spindle was through the door, helping Mom set
the table.
Conversation over.
Back in the Game
I hadn’t seen the high school since it was
destroyed by the duplicates’ last stand a year ago. Some of the old
live oaks had burned and the reconstruction was expansive. The
building was wide, not tall, with green and tan colors that matched
the countryside. The walls were made of triple-paned insulated
fiberglass that could change colors and opacity, letting in more or
less sunlight depending on the season and time of the day. The
Paladins paid for it all.
I parked far up the road and avoided the
traffic. The last thing I needed was the Garrison getting a traffic
summons. Besides, Spindle would annoy me all night if I parked
illegally. I wanted him to enjoy the game. I wanted to enjoy
the game.
All Spindle needed was a death sickle to
complete the whole grim reaper look, but no one seemed to notice.
There were already enough high school freaks to make him look
normal. He couldn’t get enough of them. So much culture!
“This is where you went to school?” Spindle
asked.
“That’s the place,” I said. “I like to think
of it as my prison years.”
“You were incarcerated?”
“No, it’s just what it felt like.”
Spotlights beamed up ahead into the low-lying
cloud cover, bright enough to illuminate the dusky sky. I avoided
walking through the parking lot where we were sure to find
problems. Rednecks, burners, and every other sort of troublemaker
would be there.
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