|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- IRREGULAR SHIRT--CUP 8--"THE HENCE FACTOR" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  Irregular Shirt  ||  -------> (Cup SRis008, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = So I went to my room, got a few books and toys, and threw them in a canvas bag--I had to make it seem like I came home for a reason. Then I went downstairs, but my family was watching TV in another room. "I'm leaving!" I said. "So soon?" I heard my mother say. "I thought you'd stay for 'The Hence Factor'" I hated that show. "No mom, I really have to get back to school. I just had to get a few things. Love ya." "Bye bye" my mom said. "Bye." I said, as I opened the door and felt much fear as I steeped into the frigid outside. I looked around, plans racing through my mind. What if it was all legit? I wouldn't want to pass up the opportunity. SEX, man! With HARBAZA! I mean, c'mon. But on the other hand, couldn't this be some sort of test? Like, testing to see if all I cared about was sex or something? But what could it mean--that I should refuse to teleport with Harbaza and Billie? And was it even a voluntary thing? Anyway, as I approached the street, I saw Harbaza and Billie twinkle into existence a good ways up. Harbaza was waving at me like some kind of ghost, and in that instant, I lost it and began to panic. Where could I turn? I didn't want to get my family involved in this crap. There was no way I was gonna go with Harbaza and the faery, but what could I do? Man, was I fucked. But in that instant, I thought of something, just an impression, an impression that Benny Averlaize could help me. Something about him made me trust him. But how could I get him to help me? I looked wildly up and down the street, trying to see if Benny had parked anywhere nearby. And of course, he hadn't. Why should he? Harbaza stopped waving and looked confused, as far as I could tell from that distance. I knew I had to do something. So I thought about the Reality Pickup Truck, and softly spoke its name--"Tom Neadows." Immediately, the sound of screeching tires came to my ears, as the Reality Pickup Truck turned the corner down the street, swerving wildly toward me--in reverse. When I jerked my head back the other way, I saw Harbaza and Billie teleporting away. Then I turned back and watched as the truck came under control a little and stopped beside me. Benny Averlaize stared down at me from his frosty window, a dull expression of concentration on his face. I looked up and him and did nothing. For a moment, I was concerned that the guy was even alive anymore or something. But then he looked away, rolled down the window, and looked at me as he took a drag on a newly-lit cigarette. "Yeah you got a problem." he said. "Okay? Get in." I just kind of nodded, went quickly around the front of the truck to the other side and got in, slamming the door shut with a clang in the silent night. Benny put the truck in gear and began driving. "They were on an Otherway but I thought nothing of it." Benny said, looking straight ahead at the road. I was silent. "Now I wonder who the fuck you are that they'd do you." he said, looking over at me. I was worried over his words, but a smile on his face made it seem like his words were meant as a joke or something. "Um." I said. That's all I said. I could say nothing beyond "Um." "Hypergods, man." Benny said, accelerating onto the highway. "Nasty suckers." I looked ahead, wondering if we'd pass the wreckage of the police car, and also wondering what the hell Benny was talking about. "But with our friend Tom Neadows here," he said, patting the dashboard, "we can take care of 'em." Then that strange guy looked over at me, a kind of wild look in his eyes, and said "You know?" "Yeah." I said. But I didn't know. I didn't know about any of it. This was serious. I had often tried to do occult stuff, but it never amounted to much. Now, all this crap was happening. I felt light-headed again, like I was drifting away. Just think--the only thing between me and a terrible fate at the hands of these "Hypergods" was a magical pickup truck. Yeah, I was concerned with all this, but at some level, I was more concerned with the fact that I was just about to have sex with Harbaza Turn, and was denied it by the situation. That was really bugging me. I wanted sex. Sex, sex, sex. "Hang on fella," Benny said, "you're in for the ride of your freakin' life!" -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----