|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- CARDBOARD RISING--CUP 2--"EXIT ESCALATOR" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  Cardboard Rising  ||  -------> (Cup SRcr002, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = The only thing on Fry Friend's mind was getting to the Exit Escalator. He had been planning on saying goodbye to all the other Friends, but now he felt an urgency, and decided to take the Escalator before he lost the will to do it. He left the castle by its Forest Entrance and took the winding trail that led to the Exit Escalator. When he was almost there, he spotted Hot Dog Bit Friend lying by the side of the path, either sleeping or dead. His body was a batter-dipped, fried segment of hot dog, the surface of which was dry and cracked and dirty, with eyes and mouth on the hot dog bit and arms and legs sticking out, in much the same fashion as Fry Friend's appendages. "Hot Dog Bit Friend?" Fry Friend said hesitantly. "Are you... are you alright?" Hot Dog Bit Friend stirred and stared up at Fry Friend. "Am I not dead yet?" he said in a hoarse voice. "Not yet." Hot Dog Bit Friend tried to laugh, but wound up coughing instead. "I've been to see the Monarch." Fry Friend said. "Yeah?" Hot Dog Bit Friend said, his eyes red and watery. "I told him what I thought of him. I really gave it to him, all the things I've been wanting to say to him over the years, but never had the courage to. Now he wants me dead. I have no choice, but to follow--" "--Onion Ring Friend?" "Yes." Hot Dog Bit friend looked very sad as he stared up at Fry Friend. "I will miss you, Friend." "And I you." "Is there anything..." "Dog--" Fry Friend said after a pause, "--I know it's not fair to ask this of you... but I am worried about... the logistics... of what I am about to do. I must take out all my fries before I can get onto the Escalator... and... and from what the Monarch says, if I have no fries left, I will die. I was... I was thinking of throwing the last one away and trying to fall backwards onto the escalator. But I'm not sure I can do it." "I'll help you. Hell, I'd follow you if I could, but I'm all food." "You don't know how much this means to me. If I do succeed, I will find some way to repay you. I promise." "It's okay." Hot Dog Bit Friend said, getting up with some difficulty. "I know I have no future. But if I have the hope that somehow you made it--that you escaped--that I helped you--I will be able to meet my death with a smile." The two walked the remaining distance to the Exit Escalator. It was an escalator in an entrance cut into the side of a cliff face. There was a big "EXIT" sign above it, and below the big sign was a smaller sign which read "NO FOOD ON ESCALATOR". The view down the escalator was obscured by fog about 20 or 30 feet down. "Well, this is it." Fry Friend said, grabbing a fry from himself and tossing it away. Instantly, he felt a wave of fatigue and disorientation. As he threw the next one away, he blacked out momentarily and found himself on his knees, no longer able to support his weight." "God damn it, how did Onion Ring Friend do it?" "I'll help you my Friend." Hot Dog Bit Friend said, and he began taking fries out of Fry Friend. That was the last thing Fry Friend saw, the benevolent visage of Hot Dog Bit Friend taking fry after fry out of him. Five... four... three... two... -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----