Photographs and Shortstory page thirty


				Chapter Eight page 30




	Chapter Eight mmediately, there were sounds of a struggle. There was no yelling like the Blues had made, just thumping and crashing. It was horrible to hear without being able to see. After a moment, Edna remembered that she had to get ready. She put on two bathrobes. A thick towel went around her neck. She put on a second pair of pants. She held the flannel sheet, ready, over one arm. The antidote tube was in her cupped palm. She was afraid she would squeeze it by mistake. Her hands were shaking more than Henry's had been. She stared at the clock. The sounds of struggling had stopped and she thought she heard them dragging something down the stairs and towards the front door. At eight minutes, she was sure they were taking him out of reach. She felt a wave of panic. Jerking the door open, she bolted out and down the stairs. Little people went shooting away at her approach. Henry's body was almost at the door. As she reached him, she felt the enemy coming back. She had shocked them with her rush, but they were not truly intimidated.

	They all looked exactly like Henry. It was nightmarish. They attacked like a pack of dogs. While one distracted her from the front, another would rush in from the side. Rolling Henry up in the sheet, she jerked him roughly toward the stairs, striking out around her with her other arm. The little people swarmed around her. Her heavy clothes were her only protection. They tagged her many times, but the layers of fabric snagged the needles. Though he was only sixty pounds, it was difficult dragging him. She was sure she was running out of time. Fifteen minutes! It seemed like an hour. She would never make it. Frantic, she looked around for a place to hide while she gave him the injection. The darkroom was closest. The door was still locked when she tried it, so they probably hadn't been in. She let go of Henry to get the key from her pocket. The other hand still held the little tube. While she was opening the door, they were dragging Henry away. Yelling, she rushed at them and jerked him from their grasp and into the room. She slammed the door shut and leaned against it. In spite of the urgency of the moment, she stood completely still for a few instants. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then she gave a little nod. Her mind was clear and her hands were steady. She felt very calm. She acted deliberately. After she had given Henry the shot, she waited. He said it would work in a matter of minutes. Nothing happened. He looked like he wasn't breathing. “Damn, damn, damn. Oh, God, what am I going to do? Henry! Henry! Come on little guy.” It must have been too long. She wasn't quick enough. He looked utterly pathetic; pasty, scrawny, homely. Dead. Then she heard a little wheezy noise and one eye cracked open. He was laughing. “You little shit. You little shit.” She got up and walked to the far end of the room with her back to him. “Keep your eyes shut, you sorry son of a bitch. You know they're watching.” “You don't need to tell me about my own people.” He was whispering. She sat down near him so they could talk without being overheard. He did keep his eyes shut. “Next I have to go to the kennel and get the balloon, fill it with gas and bring back the explosives. I don't think this is going to work. There must be a million of them out there.” “What are you going to make the dummy out of? We were supposed to be upstairs.” “There are a lot of towels in here we can use. Do you feel okay? Did you bang your leg?” “No. I feel great. I thought you might not come after me. But you did. Here I am. Oscar would never believe it.” “Do you know any of the people out there? Did you recognize anybody?” “Oh yes. Sure. They don't have names in your language but I know some of them quite well.” “Are they honorable? I mean, would they keep their word?” “Absolutely. At least they would with each other. I don't know if they would with a human, if that's what you mean.” “I'm going to make a deal with them. I think I can solve the balloon problem. Keep quiet. I'm going to open the door.” She cracked the door open slightly, keeping herself well away. At the moment it opened, three arms darted in. She could see the little needles glinting in their fists. “I want to talk to whomever is in charge. Back away from the door.” She pulled it wider, still standing well back. Her foot was against it to keep it from going to wide. She could see into the living room. Several of them were just disappearing out of sight. One voice spoke. “I'm in charge. What do you want?” “Do you have a name?” “Not in English. You can make one up if you like.” “No, that's okay. I want to make a deal. Will you keep your word with a human?” “What is the deal?” “I want to give Henry a proper aerial cremation before I die. The necessary stuff is in the kennel. If you will have your people get everything prepared so I can do this, then I will surrender to you without a fight. When the cremation is complete I will let you do what you came to do. I won't resist.” The commander took a while to answer, but he did finally agree. Edna was surprised it took him so long. He was getting what he wanted. It could take them days to flush her out. And they would have cremated Henry anyway. “Get everything ready and then tie the balloon to the porch railing. I want all your people pulled back. I have a gun and I will shoot anybody that comes near me before the cremation is complete. When it's over, I will lay the gun down and go back inside. I will go upstairs and lie down on the bed. One, I repeat, one of you will come up and do what you have to do. If a whole crowd of you comes up there, I will go nuts.” cont. on page thirty-one

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