|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- THE DARK OF COLLEGE--CUP 5--"THE PODGER-CLAISE HAND" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  The Dark of College  ||  -------> (Cup SRdc005, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A run-down house came into view, and they followed the guy into it without saying anything else. As the two stepped in, the guy motioned for them to go into another room as he wiped his brow with the headband he had been wearing. "I'm Joel, by the way. Joel Floster." He stuck out his hand and awkwardly shook Yark's and Couch's hands. He wore glasses and had unkempt facial hair. He looked kind of weird. "The phone's in here," Joel said as he followed the two into the room. Couch sat down next to the phone, and Yark stood next to a coffee table with a big coffee table book on it, which he glanced at. "Yeah, I wrote that," Joel said. "'The Podger-Claise Hand'. I have to act like I don't have it, even though I do. If word got out that I had it--well--you can see why I'm putting up that security system." "Huh?" Yark asked. "No, it's just..." Joel said, "the Hand--you do know about the hand...?" "No." Yark said. Joel looked over at Couch, who shook his head. "Wow, they don't really teach in schools anymore, do they? Anyway..." Joel picked up the book and sat down next to Couch. Yark remained standing. Joel started flipping through the paging and displaying various ones as he spoke. "When I was your age this was all I cared about, the Hand. It's in all these myths, Vupple-Im, Choshpood, Nurignio--the same thing, this hand with little bird heads for fingertips." Couch and Yark stared at each other with concern. Joel continued. "I travelled all over the world on my grandfather's money. But in the end it was just dumb luck that allowed to to get the Hand. That's why I wrote the book, to make people think I was still looking for it." Joel slammed the book shut and looked at the boys, back and forth. "You wanna see it?" "The Hand?" Yark asked. "Yup." "Um..." Yark said. "Sure, why not." Couch said. "Okay, great. Just wait here while I get it. Can't let you see the hiding place, you know." Joel then got up and left the room. Yark sat next to Couch. The two waiting a few moments before talking in loud whispers. "That guy's a fucking psycho!" Yark said. "Let's get the fuck outta here!" "No!" "Why not?" "Because we gotta get him to help us with our story. He can call the cops and say he saw two guys running away! Then we'll be totally free!" "How are you gonna look at your uncle with a straight face?" Yark asked. "Look Fathgocken, it's just easier this way, for everyone involved. The hovercraft is sconc, nothing's gonna change that. You think my uncle would rather know it was his nephew than some faceless criminals?" Yark looked down and shook his head. Then all of a sudden, the two heard loud bird chirping and scraping noises from a nearby window. Looking, they saw the shadows of birds on the frosted glass. Joel walked in, carrying an aluminum briefcase. "There are two birds out here who are gods," he said. "I've recorded them countless times. They're having a great life in my backyard." The two boys regarded Joel warily, without speaking. Joel put the briefcase down on the coffee table, and sat down between Yark and Couch. Joel then put his hands on the release latches of the briefcase, but paused before opening it. "I just want to say, that I saw some things with the Hand. I know you two think I'm crazy, and I also know you need me to lie to the police for you. I don't have a problem with either of these things. Just promise me you won't tell anyone--and I do mean anyone--that I have the Hand. That's my price for lying to the police and getting you off the hook with that wrecked hovercraft out there." "Um..." Couch said, "okay. No problem. We won't tell anyone." "No." Yark added. "Okay," Joel said, and he opened the briefcase, revealing what appeared to be a jadelike carving of a hand, marbled gray and orange, with thin veins of bright red. "It can teleport you to the Fiasco Mills Mall, if you want. I mean, I know you want. I got that from the Hand." "Okay." Yark said. "No, wait a minute." Couch said. "If it could teleport us there, could it teleport us, like, anywhere?" "Yeah, sure." Joel said. "Come one," Yark said, "let's just get to the mall, teleporting or hitchhiking or however." "No." Couch said. "I want some fun." "You want girls. Girls, sex, all that," Joel said with a mildly annoyed expression. "Yeah. And that might not be so easy just going to the mall," Couch said. -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----