“Tada! The finished product!”
“That’s cool, but I’m a little biased against animatronics.”
Wisp did not know that Dave could build animatronics, and was starting to regret asking about it. Every time he looked at the big bear he felt disturbed, like he’d wake up with “Freddy” at the foot of his bed (as Dave had dubbed him).
“Okay but look at him! I programmed him with some extra functions too. He can sing any song he’s ever heard even if you’ve only played it to him once.”
That sounded pretty interesting, actually
“Any song? No matter how long or short? Played back perfectly?”
“Yup. There should be no problems at all.”
Wisp took out his phone and began scrolling through Spotify, playing a song at max volume through the speakers.
♪♪ Road shimmer,
Wiggling the vision,
Heat heat waves
I'm swimming in a mirror ♪♪
“I think that song is too on the nose.”
“What do you mean?”
The music was moderately muted by the constant whirr of multiple fans on full blast, plugged into random wall sockets. Pretty much everyone and everything was damp from the humidity of the weather recently. The AC wasn’t shit (obviously) and the building felt kinda like an oven. Wisp flopped onto the couch, panting from the heat.
“Fuckin heat waves. I could go for a dunk in ice cold water right now.”
Snake tossed him a water bottle.
“Be careful what you ask for.”
The elevator dinged as the metal doors slid open, revealing Vola, sopping wet with almond milk, clutching a meat cleaver.
“Snake? Where is Mei?”
Snake turned away, feigning ignorance, and trying not to tremble.
“I wouldn’t know. Barely talked to her. She just got out of the hospital a few days ago. What’s the problem?”
“Why is there a freezer in your closet.”
She seized up, knuckles white holding a marker, pointedly not making eye contact.
“Uh… a freezer? You mean the kitchen?”
“No. Your walk-in closet has a freezer hidden inside of it.”
“What? It’s not hidden. There’s very clearly locks on it and it's obviously a door.”
“Oh. I didn’t notice. I guess I should have checked before I tore a hole through the door.”
Wasn’t that door solid steel? Vola slowly stepped forward towards Snake.
“Wasn’t anything inside though. Kind of strange. Why did you install an empty freezer? Did you need to store something? Something like… milk?”
“Oh! I just remembered where Mei was! She said she was going out to the supermarket to buy more milk, because she said she was out. You just missed her. Oh well.”
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Vola stopped right behind her to place a hand on her shoulder.
“Of course. Thanks for telling me. I know you would never lie to me. Right?”
Dave motioned silently for the animatronic to begin moving. From its arm extended the blade of an axe, sharpened and brand new. Despite its large metal endoskeleton and the big fursuit, its steps were remarkably light. So it snuck up behind Vola and brought the blade down on his head.
Of course he deflected it immediately by knocking it aside with his palm and deftly wrenching the arm off of it. Dave was appalled.
“Thousands of dollars, down the drain…”
Vola left the building, big metal arm in hand.
Snake let out a breath she had been holding for way too long, dialing a number and putting the phone to her ear.
“Hello?”
“The beast has escaped containment.”
Acid, on the other end, put down the phone on the table, taking a deep breath.
“He’s gone, Mei.”
Mei was, understandably, ecstatic. Basically jumping for joy.
“Finally! I’ve done it! Bastard deserved it. Should’ve learned not to mess with me! And thanks. For letting me stay over.”
Obviously Vola would have searched Mei’s room first, so Mei had the bright idea of asking Acid to hide in her room instead. Before now she had not talked very much at all, so Vola wouldn’t expect her to hide in the room of a stranger. Clearly it worked.
“I don’t mind. Room is small, but cozy.”
Tanks of oxygen sat in the corner, under a case with a glock inside. The walls had motivational posters and shit like “Live, Laugh, Love” on it. Air plants hung from little plastic spheres by the window, and succulents decorated the few tables around. The floor was laminated wood, for the cabin feel, and the tables were glass in a modern contrast. Strange for Mei. But cool. Very cool.
“Very cool.”
“Thanks. I wanted to make it feel a little more like home. Helps relax, seeing all the plants. Always let light in through the window too.”
“Can’t choose between a cottage in the woods and modern minimalist apartment complex?”
Acid could not possibly choose. The aesthetic designs for houses nowadays were so interesting. The outdoorsy style was very rugged and natural feeling, which meshed a little with the plant life that a modernistic approach adopted. Of course wood did not quite complement gray and black and white concrete, so the naturalistic visuals took over in the end.
“Well what’s your room like?”
“Less expensive? I haven’t gotten to decorate it much since…”
“Yeah. How was the hospital?”
“White. Sterile. A shining example of why extortion should be outlawed.”
“I thought extortion was illegal?”
A crumpled up piece of paper bounced off Acid’s mask. Uncrumpling it revealed a bill with too many zeroes.
“What the hell? These prices are extortionate!”
“That’s what I said! But the law says it's legal! Stupid Rep-”
“No politics. You know how talking about politics always goes, Mei.”
They shuddered, remembering the Embassy Massacre. Images of the aftermath were classified as NSFL. Sometimes when Acid closed her eyes she could still see the bodies.
Yeesh.
“Okay, but what about ‘politics’?”
“What is ‘politics’?”
“Let me add you on snap. One second…”
Mei sent her an image of the political compass.
“Oh. I get it. ‘Politics’.”
“By the way, when is Vola coming back? Snake can’t fool him forever.”
“Snake said she’d call me when she saw him.”
“Ssssso the living room is nice and all, but what about the bedroom?”
“Well it’s not very interesting. Kind of boring, you wouldn’t want to go inside.”
“Way to pique my curiosity. I’m going in.”
Bedroom was definitely rustic. A little terrarium sat on a stand on a shelf, along with a couple encyclopedias and a display case for various crystals. An unlit candle was on the desk and some papers and a laptop. There was also one of those old green desk lamps reminiscent of the 90s, something you’d expect to find in a lawyer’s office or something.
“No air plants in here?”
“Don’t like having to open the window for them to let the breeze in. Usually a bit cold. Today is pretty hot though, so I’ll leave them open.”
“But you’re wearing jeans. Why not just wear shorts?”
“It's in style!!!!”
“Oh yeah? You’re in style. Bitch.”
“Thank you.”
Mei turned on a fan taken from the closet, watching it turn to face to the left, then the right, and then back again.
“Going to grab a drink. Mei I ask you for your beverage of choice?”
“Just cold water.”
Instead of drinking it though she just dumped it on her head. Astoundingly, the water that hit the floor ended up evaporating at a speed visible to the naked eye. Mei watched it all disappear in moments.
“Holy shit. They didn’t lie when they said it was gonna be the biggest heat wave ever recorded.”
Acid chugged a whole Diet Coke from the fridge in respect to the weather. Emergencies called for big measures.
“I have more soda if you want any.”
“How much?”
The whole fridge was stocked with soda. Wall to wall. From back to front. Only someone with a PHD in physics could fit that much soda in so small a refrigerator.
“Acid why the hell do you have so much soda?”
“Cause it's sugary sweet kinda like you so it's pretty addictive.”
Mei slowly opened a can of Sprite to quietly sip from.
“Kinda like what?”
The phone rang very loudly, interrupting their trains of thought. Acid immediately got on the line.
“Yes? Hello? He’s coming back? Shit. Sorry Mei, you’ve got to go. You might be able to get a headstart if you’re quick.”
Mei slugged the rest of the soda and ran to the door.
“Oh yeah by the way before you go you wanna? Come over? I don’t really have much to do tonight so I’m free or whatever.”
“Yeah sure I’ll be back at 8. Did Snake say how soon until he’s back?”
“ETA 5 minutes.”
“Damn. Okay. See ya soon.”
Mei ran like a woman possessed (possessed with the instinct to survive Vola). Acid waved mostly as a courtesy before closing the door.
Score!