He looks across the table at the guy looking nervously back, as if
waiting for validation of an story he knew himself was bullshit. The
listener leaves his eyes on while taking a drink, bottle down hard on
the table, foaming over in his hand. The talker watches as though it
were a horror, eyes snapped back with the words ~
Listener - "And then what happened ?"
Talker - "Well ... "
~ What Comes Out of Your Mouth ~
(credits)
The
talker hangs up his phone riding a velociraptor and goads with the
reins, the UFO's hot on his tail. The raptor dodges the cars through
the streets, aliens blasting, ninjas pouring from the alleyways, the
talker looks back in desperation as they close in.
The sound of a screeching car and a crash, the fading sound of passerby screams.
Listener - "I think the ninjas were pushing it."
Talker - Exasperated, "Look man. You don't fucking get it. He Does Not Live, In Our World."
Listener - "So where does he live ?" Drinks.
Talker - "Just down the way but that is not what I'm talking about. And it's not why you're asking."
Listener - "Why am I asking ?"
...
Talker - Leans back looking him over with crossing arms. "Because you don't know shit."
Listener - "And you're not making me feel any better about that. Where does he live ?"
Talker
- "You know where he lives. Or at least where that hunk of flesh with this face on does
but is not where thinks from, and he does not play by the rules of our
world."
Listener - "Oh I don't know. Everyone loves dinosaurs."
Talker - Gone cold in the eyes, he tosses a twenty to the table. "Here's for your fucking beer." Gets up and out the door.
Screeching
car and a crash, the passerby screams. The listener looks out the pub
window watching, finishes and follows out the door, leaving the twenty
on the table for the camera in ~
________________
A cars passes fast, he stands with the crowd over the body, joined by another.
Other - Looking around at the rubbernecking crowd gathering, "Did you really need to see it ?"
Listener - "We all need to see it. I think it may be our greatest weakness."
Other - "Who was he ?"
Listener - "Pedophile."
Other - "Immunity for talking ?" She looks in disgust at the body, it's mouth foaming out like a disturbed bottle of beer.
Listener - "Did you think I expected it to end any differently ?"
...
Other - Back to the body, "So what now ?"
Listener - "Do you recognize him ?"
...
Other - Looking closer ... "Oh my god ... he was ... "
Listener - "Yes. Yes he was."
Other - Looking to the listener, "He was a hero."
Listener - "He was my hero." Spits.
From the slow turning view of the dead man pulling back, to another walking the road with fire ahead, the wind sweeping it in behind him. Burning all around he falls to his knees as if finally alone, beating the tar in tears. The fire dances in circles as he sways and wails to the skies.
Until a gust comes in low dragging smoke from all sides, arms up in a roar and the rain begins falling mercilessly.
He works his way to his feet, voicing the lightning and screaming the thunder as the flames douse in his path, tears gone to rage, rain turned to gusting violence and hail. He pulls his blade puts up the mask for the smoke and carries on into the steam of drunken old flames as the winds pass with him.
Looks ahead to a tunnel curling through the smoke in twisting pressures.
________________
At the field office ~
Director - "So what do you think ?"
Other - "I think he's been in the field too long without recovery time, two inches from snapping. And when he does ... "
Director - "And when he does. Do know why he talks to you ?"
Other - "I honestly have no idea."
Director - "It's because you're an idealist. Exactly like he used to be."
Other - "Is ... I ... don't know where to put that sir."
Director - "I'd suggest keeping it in you wallet because it may come up useful. There is no relief coming for him, he's all we have. Everyone else is dead."
Other - "Do we have him ? Sir ?"
Direct - "Valid."
Other - "And when he does ... "
Director - "And when he does. If he can't reel it back in when the job is done ... "
Other - "Me."
Director - "No. Too close."
Other - "He'll still know I know something."
Director - "I know he will. And I know he'll know what it is too. It's a thing he needs to know, and it's a hell of a lot better this way than telling him directly."
Other - "Are you sure he's not running you in the same circles as the rest ?"
Director - "No. But cracking these cases is worth it, until it's not."
...
Other - A laugh. "Okay. She pulls a file a puts it to the desk, "My psychological evaluation. It's not pretty."
Director - "Good." Picks it up thumbing through, "Then I know you're not lying to me. Dismissed. Excellent work."
...
Other - "Sir." Turns and leaves.