|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- THE CARBONIZE NEIGHBOR--CUP 7--"WAR HERO SEEN REARRANGING RESTAURANT FURNITURE" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  The Carbonize Neighbor  ||  -------> (Cup SRcn007, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Fife began looking around. "This is crazy." "Yes it is." Grant replied. "And it'll draw a lot of attention." "I do that already." "But you don't understand." Fife said. "It's not like teleportation--you walk to move through the bridge--a couple of times, usually. So we'd have to move this booth into and out of the space I build the bridge in." "I can move it." "Yes, but think of the consequences, 'Captain Perion--war hero seen rearranging restaurant furniture and then disappearing, only to reappear later soaked from head to toe.' Don't you want to avoid that sort of publicity?" "I don't really care. I'm tired of pussyfooting around. I hate it! Let's do this. You do what you have to do, and I'll get rid of the people in the immediate vicinity." "Oh no, don't--" "--come on! I'm not gonna hurt them--I'm just gonna bribe them!" "Shew! You had me scared there." "So do what you have to do--build the bridge--and let's get the show on the road." "You really have to get the people out of here first." "Okay." Grant went over to the manager of the Thing Ping at the register, and made some sort of transaction. Soon, the manager announced the place was closing, and the few customers that had been there were on their way out anyway. Soon, the manager turned out the lights, shut the door, and locked it, with a strange glance at Fife and Grant. "What did you tell her?" Fife asked. "Nothing perverted, if that's what you mean." "Good. So look--this is crazy--but we need to clear a space large enough to hold the both of us and the booth--which I really hope floats--and space to move it in and out of the bridge." Grant heaved a number of tables and booths into a messy pile. Fife was impressed at his natural superstrength. "Okay, there you go--the space you need." "Okay, now stand beside me as I build the bridge." Grant stood back and watched Letevs as he stared intently in front of him, a wild and intent look on his face. Granticaine looked around, but saw nothing visibly different. Suddenly, however, Grant felt a weird sort of soft jolt and a little rush of air. A feeling something like electricity was in the air. "Got it." Fife said. "You may be able to see it a little--only a tiny fraction of photons get through, outside the bridge, but there should be a little bit of a shimmer." "Can you see it?" Grant asked. "Yes--but I'm used to it. Can you see it?" "A little. I think I see something. Now what?" "Well, we have to move inside of the bridge, and then we have to exit the bridge. At that point, we have a fifty-fifty chance of bridging. If it doesn't work the first time, we have to keep doing it." "Okay--so I'll just shove the booth over there?" "Yes--and we have to go in too." "Okay." Grant said, shoving the booth into the bridge. As soon as he entered the space, he saw the image of an ocean twinkling in the moonlight, superimposed over the darkened Thing Ping. "Now what?" "Well--I'll sit in the booth and you push it--but be ready to be in the water!" "Okay." Grant said, taking a deep breath. "Here goes." And he pushed the booth hard out of the bridge, but he was still in the Thing Ping. "Don't worry." Fife said. "Like I said, it's fifty-fifty every time. Just like flipping a coin. "Okay." Grant said, getting around to the other side of the booth and shoving it back into the bridge. "So I can try again?" Grant asked. "Yup. You just gotta keep doing it till you get through." Grant took a deep breath and pushed the booth again. This time, they went through, and they fell with a splash into a chilly ocean. Grant struggled to keep his grip on the booth and he fell under the surface of the water. Luckily, the booth did float, and Fife managed to stay relatively dry. Grant spit water out of his mouth as he clambered up into the booth. "I--I guess you're legitimate." Grant said, laughing a little. Fife also laughed. "I'm glad I could satisfy you." -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----