The Fell Good Flue (19 page)

Soon it woke Brandy and she said, “you found your way, I knew that flashing light would lead you back.”
I said, “who says I’m back?”
She said, “the body is here, the rest will come soon.”
I said, “it may not like what it see’s and go away again.”
Brandy, “looks as if it already found a way, you made a hash bong.”
I said, “it was already made, I just put it on the bottle and filled the pipe, the smoke lit its self.” She said, “well blow it out the widow, your son don’t need it, his mind is already flying in dreamland.”
I said, “I was there a short while ago, rode a bike back to get here, that light drew me.” Brandy, “I thought it would, you wanted some time to figure something out, so I made sure the power tools were unplugged and left the light to guide you back.”
I said, “it looks like some cleaning was done, I remember that and some parts that laid out.” She said, “I think with a new seal it may work, after all the wiring is checked, you don’t want to blow another battery trying it again until then.”
I said, “I don’t remember, only the waves of light in the hallway to here.”
Brandy, “we were cleaning things up, sometimes in the nude, then you tested a switch. There was a flash of light and a battery blew, then you said something about sitting down and thinking about things.”
I said, “how long ago was this?”
Brandy, “by the looks of the sun hours, you were in deep meditation. Did you find my underwear?”
I said, “I didn’t even find mine, but I found the corvette, maybe they are in there.” She said, “I do remember some cleaning done in it,maybe they are.”
I said, “fill me in on who was cleaning what later, I wouldn’t remember it now anyway. What would you like me to cook for you, I’m hungry for some reason.”
Brandy, “it has been hours, you meditate well. Whatever you want to make is fine with me, I have been saying that for years.”
I said, “it’s the choosing that makes it so hard, on one hand I want to make brownies, and on the other a pizza.”
Brandy, “and on the other you want to give me a hit on that thing, then get me to make both for you.”
I said, “you don’t have to beg, help yourself.”
She said, “I knew you would say that,” and took a puff.
I said, “I’ll make the brownies, should they be hash or green bud?”
Brandy, “half and half should do it, maybe keep them separated, like I did the mushrooms.” I said, “mushroom brownies, no wait, would that taste off?”
She said, “you just sit there and think about it for awhile, I’ll get some things started.” So I hit the bong one more time, and set it down by the window I blew the smoke out of. A nice sunset was happening, and the colors were still psychedelic, but quickly wearing off like the last rays of the sun. Some far off clouds gave the promise of rain, if the wind didn’t change, and a flash came from nearby windows. The whole scene was like another trip, but this was reality, and the squirrel came to visit. There at my window, as if drawn by my smoke or made out of it, he stood looking at me.
I said, “house rules, give before asking,” and he dropped a sunflower seed.
I picked it up and said, “that’s a nice one, here, have some wine,” and tipped my glass toward him. He put his head in, and his little tongue was licking it up, when Brandy said, “don’t get that squirrel drunk, he can’t fly like you.”
I pulled the glass back and said, “he knows how to handle it, and brought a sunflower seed for your garden, maybe you can get it to grow.”
Brandy, “so now he has us planting for him, what will he bring next?”
Then it was off again, and went around to the window near the kitchen. Brandy gave it a roasted peanut, and it ate it on the spot.
I said, “we plant, harvest and even roast the thing for him, then take it out of the shell to boot.” Brandy, “yes, our training is almost complete.”
I said, “if he thinks I’m planting the walnuts for him he can forget it, I ate them.” The squirrel then licked its fingers and ran away.
Brandy, “I guess you told him.”
I laughed and said, “one of these days that squirrel is going to get tired of life thirty stories up and head for the ground for good.”
She said, “he always come back, and travel more than you.”
I said, “yes well, good real state is hard to find, this city is falling apart. We both have made an investment in this place, and as long as he pays the rent he can stay.”
Brandy, “he will be glad you feel that way, do you want peppers on your pizza?” I said, “yes, go for broke, use everything we got. Let’s make one of those deep dish, a meal in ever slice.”
She said, “you’re lucky I made bread dough today, I had a feeling this is what you would want, even the sauce is made up.”
I said, “it’s nice when our visions come together in loops of time, use lots of mushrooms and cheese.”
Brandy, “you have had enough mushrooms, but I’ll put some on half.”
I listened to the street drums, and they were talking about a vehicle near the edge of town. It was not there before or moving now, and looked in good shape. Spotters were keeping an eye on it, and Brandy said she had heard some drums about it earlier. I thought to myself that this must be what the flash I saw was. Well it was going nowhere without a spotter on it, and word will reach me if needed, so I helped in making the brownies. Then we licked the bowl while we waited for the pie. The sweet taste of chocolate made my mouth water, and we sipped the wine while listening to some music. The shadows grew heavy outside, and darkness was grabbing hold, as someone in a nearby building set off some homemade fireworks. A short pop, and a sparkle, was as much as he could make. Soon we were digging into that deep dish pizza, with brownies backing for dessert.
I said, “this is like the best meal, there are so many ways to make it -- a year could go by without having the same twice.”
Brandy, “and that’s just in what you bring home, what I can’t grow I can trade for, and you know I can mix a mean sauce.”
I said, “yes, the winter gardens made some nice tomatoes this year, and now we have some more herbs.”
She said, “and it’s nice to have a steady supply of cheese and milk, I just can’t make one without it.”
I said, “the days of just taking one out of the freezer are gone, and I like it better this way, the time we put into our food gets us more out of it.”
Brandy, “even though it’s hard to wait sometimes, just the smell of this makes me wet, I mean my mouth.”
I said, “I know what you meant, and what you said was a Freudian slip, it’s not always you playing with me.”
She said, “I’m going to tell Daisy what you said, and that you like the way I cook too much.” I said, “don’t forget to make some things up, for when I was on your mushrooms.” Brandy, “are you kidding? I will need to leave a lot out, at least until I find my underwear.” I said, “I was thinking maybe I could use some of our fuel to get my vet running again, it would be something to see it on the street.”
Brandy, “get it down there first, I don’t want you driving it off a thirty story building.” I said, “the fuel probably wouldn’t work in it anyway, it’s not diesel.”
We eat half of the big pie before the brownies were ready, then had one of them each. Afterwards Brandy said there should be enough hot water to take a shower, so we did, together of course to save on water. And thought the amount of time we took did not save any water, we were still hot when done. After drying each other off and a little towel play, we were soon dressed and back in the liven room.
Brandy said, “when I talk to Daisy I will have to leave out some of the shower details.” I said, “sure, leave out the stuff I can remember. While you’re at it let her know we made brownies, and say I will drop some off for her.”
Brandy, “you, her, brownies and a flyer? I don’t think so.”
I said, “I would not even have to land, just a flyover with air delivery.”
She said, ‘I can fly over, and you can keep your air delivery eyes at home.”
I said, “okay, then I’ll watch from here with my new night scope, it’s dark enough to use it now.”
Brandy, “let’s go on the roof and try it.”
So we took Sage up and looked around with my scope. Different parts of the city had more light than others, which made it difficult to focus, but we could still make out people. Brandy, “there she is, but you can’t make out the details, what a shame.”
I looked, and she was right, Dizzy Daisy was on her roof dancing nude. I could tell it was her but not much else, as the light was poor there, but she was having a good time.
I said, “you’re right, but her hair dose look much longer down like that.”
Brandy, “yes, and she has been getting lots of sun now that it’s warmer, at least that’s what everyone is saying.”
I said, “I know, I started that one.”
She hit me in the arm and said not to wear my battery down, then went to look over the garden. I set my eye on the area of the new vehicle near town, and could just make it out, but there was no movement. Deciding to save the battery, I went over to the part of the large roof were the heliport pad was. Taking a good look at where the seam was for lowering it, I could see why there was some leaks. The plastic sheets and Astroturf I put down last winter were slid off a bit, and some water had pooled. But the concrete floor below would not be harmed, and had a slant to it for drainage. So I pulled it all up, then set the Astroturf to one side, and folded the plastic. The edges still looked good, and I could see the floor lift below. If I only let the locking breaks off, and drop the hydraulic presser, the 40-foot-wide pad would go down to the next floor. That would give me split level landing if I open the other wall, but getting it back up again would take a bit more to accomplish. It’s not like I can hire a contractor to do the job for me. Even a handful of gems and all the gold you can carry would not get a helping hand these days, those things were no longer trade. It was food, or needful things to get by. So trade was barter of what you knew or had, could or would do, got or could get. And I was holding on to all I could to keep what favors I had coming, but maybe just one that did not look so big could help. If all I needed was a new seal or a pump, the rest I could take care of. I went back to the garden part of the roof and checked the netting over things, I didn’t trust the birds or my friendly squirrel.
Brandy said, “I see you moved that cover, does that mean you’re planning to lower the platform soon?”
I said, “getting it down will be no problem, but back up again to seal it off may be, unless I fix that pump.”
She said, “High Harry is good with that kind of thing.”
I said, “yes but each trip to him adds points to my life insurance.”
Brandy, “90% of the world is dead dear, there is no one dumb enough left to ensues you, but maybe he can help.”
I said, “I’m willing to take the chance, but if I get blown up, remember it was not without expecting it.”
She said, “High Harry will blow you up or blow your mind, it’s always an adventure with him, and yet he gets so much done.”
I said, “it helps if you don’t sleep for days on end, he trips out, and by the end of the week something new is there. Most of the time he is still wondering what it is, or if it will blow up.” Brandy, “yes genius can be strange sometimes, and so can you, just calling someone a genius makes them sound a bit strange.”
I said, “the two of us is about as strange as I need on a regular basis.”
We went back down and had another brownie and tea with it, while listen to some music, then dove back into the rest of the pizza.
I said, “you sure do know how to make it juicy.”
She said, “that’s my line dear, but thank you.”
I said, “don’t make me get out my note pad and start taking it all down again.” Brandy, “why not just tape me? There’s enough to run the digital recorders, maybe the video as well.”
I said, “that’s what I’m afraid of, I’m sure Dizzy would love to get a hold of a vid with me in it, especial with you demonstrating how to put lotion on.”
Brandy, “now there’s an idea, you wire the camera and I’ll get the lotion.”
I said, “I’m in no shape to deal with either right now, I just need my rest.”
She said, “you were the one that had the idea of making a recording.”
I said, “a voice recording of some things you say, not a porno with me in it. But write down some stage directions, so Daisy can review the play.”
Brandy, “I will for sure tell that one to her.”
I said, “I hope she is writing it all down, Sage will need lots to read when he’s old enough.” She said, “and who decides when he’s old enough?”
I said, “he does, they always do.”
We kicked back and enjoyed the music for awhile, as I dosed off. When I woke up I could hear the zip-lines of the midnight cub, to be a member you just needed to believe that a meal or a drink at midnight celebrated both the day that passed as well as the one to come, and making it half way through the night too. It was started by the night watch guards, that needed a break to eat, and grew to those that zipped around at midnight with a drink. Many were regulars while others just joined in when they were up, taking food or drink to the night guards. There was no one meeting place, just the time and a declaration the midnight club was in session. Meetings never lasted more than ten minutes and getting ready for one was not until a few before twelve, “
midnight club in session
” was the call to guards getting a break, or someone stopping on their way and offering a drink. It was good to have people keeping an eye out for us, so we tried to take care of them. When your very life may depend on a spotter alerting someone to a raid, you want that person to feel appreciated, and willing to do the job. It had been a long time since trouble came, but having lookouts let the rest of us sleep better. It’s not easy spotting a signal person making a raid on someone, but the welfare of the community depended on us keeping what we had. When a goat is lost or a garden robbed, the city has less to look forward to, and it’s harder to recover. And that’s just from outsiders, our own did what they could to get by as well. So you needed to lock up what you could and guard the rest, then trade with friends that did their best. There was always an eye on my place, even when you could not see them, most were my friend or feared for their life to try robbing me. When both Brandy and I are out together it is understood that I owe someone for watching my place, and it is also understood that the job better be done. IfI get hit some will see it, or already be dead and awaiting me to revenge them, for I will track you down. Like TT I had to make a few examples over the years, and the traps in parts of my building could be deadly. The same could be said of many living in these hard times, and zipping in on someone that has their flag down could set one off. Climbing another man’s building could do the same, so some you just didn’t swing from, and going inside anyplace was a moment by moment thing. People knew how much firepower I had, and what my sword could do as well, so being tracked down for trespassing was no game. And with my new rifle plus scope you would need to be more than half the town away before I got a shot off, and keep running! There was a reason they hired me to move valuable cargo and deal with dangerous situations, I was good at it and a true survivor. All of us had to be, but some were known to be the best. In the past five years since the plague and downfall of society, I had been in many wars on my own streets, with countless bodies to keep my nightmares company. Some hid with the rats, and others destroyed all they could, while many died defending what they had. Through all of it I made my way, and now was known for what I had and could do. How long my luck would hold out, only time itself could tell.