Here is the next installment of my novel. I hope you enjoy:
Mind if we ask you some questions? Officer Argon said. There was literally no difference between Officer Argon and Officer Krypton. They were, as far as Lee could tell, identical like the train conductors.
Yes, Officer Krypton hissed. Like where were you on the night of October 15, 1066?
Officer Argon gave his partner a sidelong glance.
Ahem, Officer K., were more interested in recent events, like say the last ten minutes.
Officer Krypton brightened.
Thats right, he said pulling a notebook and a writing quill from the interior of his great coat. Where were you in the last ten minutes?
Perhaps Officer K. you should let me ask the questions, said Officer Argon.
Hell ask the questions from now on, Officer Krypton said, pointing with his writing quill at his partner.
Mrs. Robinson, during this exchange, had remained strangely subdued. She had taken up her knitting again and was clicking the needles together rhythmically as if nothing had happened. Lee kept eyeing her desperately, hoping she would come to his rescue, but she wouldnt even look at him. She kept at her knitting, humming all the while what sounded to Lee like The Battle Hymn of the Republic.
All right. What is your name? Officer Argon said, producing his own notebook and quill.
Lee Driston, Lee said. At this, the entire train erupted in laughter.
No, really. What is your real name? Officer Argon said, smirking.
That is my name. Lee Driston. I live at 1212 Syca1212 Suddenly, Lee wasnt sure of anything at all. He wasnt sure where he was, what day it was, anything. Was his name really Lee Driston? He wasnt even sure of that anymore. He looked over once again at Mrs. Robinson for help.
Suspect was belligerent and refused to tell arresting officers his name, Officer Argon said, writing in his notebook.
I am not being belligerent, Lee said. My name is Lee Driston.
Suspect keeps insisting that his name is Lee Dristan. As if that were a possible nom de plume
At that moment, one of the train conductors came through the forward doors waving his baton merrily. Lee heard a snatch of what appeared to be Mendelssohns Spring Song vibrate through the compartment as he did so.
First stop. Cambrian Era continent of Pangea. continent of Pangea
The side doors that Lee had first entered the train through opened, and Lee caught a whiff of humid fetid air from outside. Several people exited the train, eyeing Lee suspiciously as they did so.
Next stopuhfurther south, the train conductor said, waving his baton to the trilling of Spring Song. He exited the train, not eyeing Lee at all. Further south. The doors closed and the train started to move again.
All right, Lee Dristan, Officer Argon said, trying not to smirk. I have it from several reliable personages in this train that you are wholly responsible for the materialization of an Abraham Lincoln in this compartment. Said Lincoln is an escaped felon still wanted for the assassination of our beloved John Wilkes Booth, 18th President of these United States. How do you plead?
Yeah, said Officer Krypton, twirling his handlebar moustache with abandon.
Lee shook his head. He didnt know what to say. He had been responsible for the materialization of the Abraham Lincoln in the compartment. It was true. But he hadnt met any harm by that. Why, only yesterday Lincoln hadnt been a villain; he had been a hero, hadnt he? Responsible forresponsible for Lee didnt know anymore.
I didnt mean anything by it, Lee said weakly.
Suspect says he didnt mean anything by it. Officer Argon wrote this down in his notebook.
Thats what they all say, Officer Krypton said, knowingly.
I think youd better come with us son.
Mrs. Robinson put her knitting down in her lap. Officers, do ya mind if I ask ya all a question? she said. Finally, Lee thought, breathing a sigh of relief.
Why certainly mam Officer Krypton said. Thats why were here anyways. To protect and uhuh...something very similar to protecting.
Serve, you moron, Officer Argon said, gritting his teeth. Serve.
Oh yeahserve, Officer Krypton said.
When you fine officers were wrestlin with the assailant, did ya notice if he was limpin at all? Huh?
Lee didnt understand the significance of this, but the two policemen looked at each other sheepishly.
Well was he? Mrs. Robinson asked.
No mam, he wasnt, the policemen said in tandem.
Well then, obviously, my boy here conjured up a pre-crime Lincoln. Cause we all know that after Lincoln shot our beloved John Wilkes Booth, 18th president of these here United States, he leaped to the stage, breakin one of his long matchstick legs in the process. This Lincoln didnt have a broken leg, sos it aint possible that hes the Lincoln ya is lookin for. Aint that so?
Officers Argon and Kyrpton looked at each other thoughtfully.
I am going to have to confer with my partner here for a second, Officer Argon said.
Likewise, said Officer Krypton.
The two policemen went into a huddle and started whispering frantically. Lee strained to try and hear them, but the only words he was able to make out sounded something like slit-screen experiment, which didnt make any sense to Lee at all.
Finally, the two turned their attention back to Lee and Mrs. Robinson.
All right. You got us on that broken leg thing. We cant arrest you for creating a non-assassin Lincoln. Its fishy certainly, but it isnt a crime. You are free to go. But we will be watching you, Officer Argon said, pointing at his eyes with the index and middle finger of his right hand.
Watching you, said Officer Krypton, duplicating his partners motion.
And with that they exited the moving train, flying up into the air in the same way that the pre-crime Lincoln had.
Wellthat was certainly a way to pass the time, Mrs. Robinson said. Thas somethin else my Uncle Fred used to say. Ya ever meet my Uncle Fred? Oh, thas right, you certainly never did. She resumed her knitting.
Mrs. Robinsonwhats happening here? What is this place? Lee said. They were still on the commuter train, still moving south. Occasionally, the train conductor would reappear and announce a new stop. Places Lee had never ever heard of: City of Ur, the Chixculub Impact Crater, the Terminatoron and on. It seemed to Lee as if they had been traveling forever.
What do ya mean, honey? Wes on the southbound commuter train. Wes travelin south. Nothin unusual in that.
Well, it seems to me that yesterdayyesterday
All your troubles seemed so far away? Mrs. Robinson said, beaming at him.
YesI mean noI meanit seems to me that yesterday things were very ordinary. Do you know what I mean?
Not really honey. Dont put much stock in ordinary. Its a kind of a vague word. She clicked her knitting needles together.
Well yesterday, it seems to me, I got up, put my clothes on, ate some breakfast or just had a cup of coffee, ran to catch the train to work, worked eight hours at my job, and then I caught the train home. And yesterday was the same as the day before that, and the same as the day before that, ad-infinitum.
The same? Mrs. Robinson said.
Yes, Lee said.
Well then, you aint payin attention much. Cause no two days are the same, jes as no two Tasmanian tigers is the same.
You know what I mean. There was a routine. There was structure.
Well then, Mrs. Robinson beamed. Aint you glad to get away from it all for a while.
Lee gave up. He turned toward the still covered window, resting his head against the uncomfortable wood of the compartment. He could feel the vibration of the train as it moved, an almost soothing tingling in his temples. Maybe he should just go to sleep and when he woke up he would be in his own bed, waiting for the usual day to start.
Aint gonna happen, Mrs. Robinson muttered over her knitting.
The train conductor entered the compartment as the train came once again to a stop.
Platos Cave he barked. This stopPlatos Cave
And then he was gone, and the train resumed its forward motion.
Lee looked at the muslin blind. What was out there anyway? What kind of crazy vistas were they passing through in this crazy mixed up world? Mrs. Robinson had told him not to mess with the blinds because that would seriously disrupt the velocity of the train. How was that possible? Certainly a little peek out the window couldnt hurt anything
Before Lee knew it, his hand was reaching for the pull string on the window blind. If they didnt want you to look out the windows, why did they have windows in the first place? It was all very silly.
Lee jerked down on the pull-string and then up. The blind rose about half an inch or so, just enough for Lee to see the bottom frame of the window-- the vague ghost of movement. Nothing happened. There was absolutely no change in the steady momentum of the commuter train.
So far so good, Lee thought. He turned to look at Mrs. Robinson. She seemed completely immersed in her knitting, adding a touch of vermilion to a coat-of-arms.
Lee turned back to the blind and this time he gave the pull-string a strong yank, bringing the blind about halfway up. He peered out the window and was astounded to see that there were dark cinderblocks pressed up tightly against the glass of the window! It was as if the train was completely encased in stone!
Suddenly the train lurched, throwing Lee, Mrs. Robinson and all the other passengers forward. Mrs. Robinson recovered quickly. She reached over and pulled the blind down with all her might. The train calmed down immediately.
Boy, what did I tell ya bout lookin out the window, she said, angrily. Her knitting had fallen to the floor of the train, and she bent over to gather it up.
Yes, but Mrs. Robinson Lee started. Mrs. Robinson
Mrs. Robinson what?
OutsideThe trainbrickshow are we
Bricks? Oh, we must be tunneling, she said.
Tunneling? Tunnelingthrough what?
Well les seewhat did the conductor say the last stop was?
Platos Cavesomethin like that.
Well, les see then She licked the index finger of her right hand and stuck it up in the air. Winds from the south, as the crow flies She then stuck her right elbow up in the air. Barometric pressure is steady. She then wiggled her nose. And I loves the smell of train compartments in the morninhmmm, I would say we was tunnelin through the Great Wall of Tibet. She brightened at that revelation. And that means
The train conductor appeared at the forward doors again, waving his huge baton to The Blue Danube Waltz.
The Really Incredible City, he barked. This stop, The Really Incredible City.
This is us, honey, Mrs. Robinson said, getting up and stuffing her knitting materials under her blue toboggan. Les go.
The Really Incredible City? Lee said. I dont think I ever heard of it. Where is it?
They were standing on the train platform, watching as the southbound train left for points further south.
Why, its on the other side of the Great Wall of Tibet. I thought you got that part.
Lee looked around. He didnt really see what was so very incredible about it. The train platform looked about the same as the one close to his house: same canopy-style roof held up by iron poles, same rough cement floor, same indeterminate people milling about waiting for their respective trains.
Someone brushed past Lee, a man carrying an attach case, and it was with a tiny little bit of surprise that Lee noticed this man had three arms: one on each side of his body and one reaching out from his chest. It was in this arm that he carried the attach case. Lee also noticed that the mans face and three hands were a silver-grayish color, standing out strikingly against the caramel-colored coveralls he was wearing.
All, or most, of the people seemed to be of the same ilk. There was a silver-grayish woman sitting on a bench, cradling a silver-grayish child in her three arms. Next to her was a silver-grayish man, holding a newspaper in his normal hands while he pushed a pair of plastic reading glasses up against the bridge of his nose with his extra hand. Silver-grayish people stood nervously by the tracks, waiting for the next train, doing what people do everywhere when they are waiting to board a train. And they all seemed to be dressed in the same caramel-colored coveralls.
Mrs. Robinson
Mrs. Robinson shook her head.
Didnt ya know boy that the Really Incredible City is sitiated on another planet? No, course ya didnt.
Another planet? But howwhen?
It was the tunneling that did it, Mrs. Robinson said, matter-of-factly. We is way way south now.
Mind if we ask you some questions? Officer Argon said. There was literally no difference between Officer Argon and Officer Krypton. They were, as far as Lee could tell, identical like the train conductors.
Yes, Officer Krypton hissed. Like where were you on the night of October 15, 1066?
Officer Argon gave his partner a sidelong glance.
Ahem, Officer K., were more interested in recent events, like say the last ten minutes.
Officer Krypton brightened.
Thats right, he said pulling a notebook and a writing quill from the interior of his great coat. Where were you in the last ten minutes?
Perhaps Officer K. you should let me ask the questions, said Officer Argon.
Hell ask the questions from now on, Officer Krypton said, pointing with his writing quill at his partner.
Mrs. Robinson, during this exchange, had remained strangely subdued. She had taken up her knitting again and was clicking the needles together rhythmically as if nothing had happened. Lee kept eyeing her desperately, hoping she would come to his rescue, but she wouldnt even look at him. She kept at her knitting, humming all the while what sounded to Lee like The Battle Hymn of the Republic.
All right. What is your name? Officer Argon said, producing his own notebook and quill.
Lee Driston, Lee said. At this, the entire train erupted in laughter.
No, really. What is your real name? Officer Argon said, smirking.
That is my name. Lee Driston. I live at 1212 Syca1212 Suddenly, Lee wasnt sure of anything at all. He wasnt sure where he was, what day it was, anything. Was his name really Lee Driston? He wasnt even sure of that anymore. He looked over once again at Mrs. Robinson for help.
Suspect was belligerent and refused to tell arresting officers his name, Officer Argon said, writing in his notebook.
I am not being belligerent, Lee said. My name is Lee Driston.
Suspect keeps insisting that his name is Lee Dristan. As if that were a possible nom de plume
At that moment, one of the train conductors came through the forward doors waving his baton merrily. Lee heard a snatch of what appeared to be Mendelssohns Spring Song vibrate through the compartment as he did so.
First stop. Cambrian Era continent of Pangea. continent of Pangea
The side doors that Lee had first entered the train through opened, and Lee caught a whiff of humid fetid air from outside. Several people exited the train, eyeing Lee suspiciously as they did so.
Next stopuhfurther south, the train conductor said, waving his baton to the trilling of Spring Song. He exited the train, not eyeing Lee at all. Further south. The doors closed and the train started to move again.
All right, Lee Dristan, Officer Argon said, trying not to smirk. I have it from several reliable personages in this train that you are wholly responsible for the materialization of an Abraham Lincoln in this compartment. Said Lincoln is an escaped felon still wanted for the assassination of our beloved John Wilkes Booth, 18th President of these United States. How do you plead?
Yeah, said Officer Krypton, twirling his handlebar moustache with abandon.
Lee shook his head. He didnt know what to say. He had been responsible for the materialization of the Abraham Lincoln in the compartment. It was true. But he hadnt met any harm by that. Why, only yesterday Lincoln hadnt been a villain; he had been a hero, hadnt he? Responsible forresponsible for Lee didnt know anymore.
I didnt mean anything by it, Lee said weakly.
Suspect says he didnt mean anything by it. Officer Argon wrote this down in his notebook.
Thats what they all say, Officer Krypton said, knowingly.
I think youd better come with us son.
Mrs. Robinson put her knitting down in her lap. Officers, do ya mind if I ask ya all a question? she said. Finally, Lee thought, breathing a sigh of relief.
Why certainly mam Officer Krypton said. Thats why were here anyways. To protect and uhuh...something very similar to protecting.
Serve, you moron, Officer Argon said, gritting his teeth. Serve.
Oh yeahserve, Officer Krypton said.
When you fine officers were wrestlin with the assailant, did ya notice if he was limpin at all? Huh?
Lee didnt understand the significance of this, but the two policemen looked at each other sheepishly.
Well was he? Mrs. Robinson asked.
No mam, he wasnt, the policemen said in tandem.
Well then, obviously, my boy here conjured up a pre-crime Lincoln. Cause we all know that after Lincoln shot our beloved John Wilkes Booth, 18th president of these here United States, he leaped to the stage, breakin one of his long matchstick legs in the process. This Lincoln didnt have a broken leg, sos it aint possible that hes the Lincoln ya is lookin for. Aint that so?
Officers Argon and Kyrpton looked at each other thoughtfully.
I am going to have to confer with my partner here for a second, Officer Argon said.
Likewise, said Officer Krypton.
The two policemen went into a huddle and started whispering frantically. Lee strained to try and hear them, but the only words he was able to make out sounded something like slit-screen experiment, which didnt make any sense to Lee at all.
Finally, the two turned their attention back to Lee and Mrs. Robinson.
All right. You got us on that broken leg thing. We cant arrest you for creating a non-assassin Lincoln. Its fishy certainly, but it isnt a crime. You are free to go. But we will be watching you, Officer Argon said, pointing at his eyes with the index and middle finger of his right hand.
Watching you, said Officer Krypton, duplicating his partners motion.
And with that they exited the moving train, flying up into the air in the same way that the pre-crime Lincoln had.
Wellthat was certainly a way to pass the time, Mrs. Robinson said. Thas somethin else my Uncle Fred used to say. Ya ever meet my Uncle Fred? Oh, thas right, you certainly never did. She resumed her knitting.
Mrs. Robinsonwhats happening here? What is this place? Lee said. They were still on the commuter train, still moving south. Occasionally, the train conductor would reappear and announce a new stop. Places Lee had never ever heard of: City of Ur, the Chixculub Impact Crater, the Terminatoron and on. It seemed to Lee as if they had been traveling forever.
What do ya mean, honey? Wes on the southbound commuter train. Wes travelin south. Nothin unusual in that.
Well, it seems to me that yesterdayyesterday
All your troubles seemed so far away? Mrs. Robinson said, beaming at him.
YesI mean noI meanit seems to me that yesterday things were very ordinary. Do you know what I mean?
Not really honey. Dont put much stock in ordinary. Its a kind of a vague word. She clicked her knitting needles together.
Well yesterday, it seems to me, I got up, put my clothes on, ate some breakfast or just had a cup of coffee, ran to catch the train to work, worked eight hours at my job, and then I caught the train home. And yesterday was the same as the day before that, and the same as the day before that, ad-infinitum.
The same? Mrs. Robinson said.
Yes, Lee said.
Well then, you aint payin attention much. Cause no two days are the same, jes as no two Tasmanian tigers is the same.
You know what I mean. There was a routine. There was structure.
Well then, Mrs. Robinson beamed. Aint you glad to get away from it all for a while.
Lee gave up. He turned toward the still covered window, resting his head against the uncomfortable wood of the compartment. He could feel the vibration of the train as it moved, an almost soothing tingling in his temples. Maybe he should just go to sleep and when he woke up he would be in his own bed, waiting for the usual day to start.
Aint gonna happen, Mrs. Robinson muttered over her knitting.
The train conductor entered the compartment as the train came once again to a stop.
Platos Cave he barked. This stopPlatos Cave
And then he was gone, and the train resumed its forward motion.
Lee looked at the muslin blind. What was out there anyway? What kind of crazy vistas were they passing through in this crazy mixed up world? Mrs. Robinson had told him not to mess with the blinds because that would seriously disrupt the velocity of the train. How was that possible? Certainly a little peek out the window couldnt hurt anything
Before Lee knew it, his hand was reaching for the pull string on the window blind. If they didnt want you to look out the windows, why did they have windows in the first place? It was all very silly.
Lee jerked down on the pull-string and then up. The blind rose about half an inch or so, just enough for Lee to see the bottom frame of the window-- the vague ghost of movement. Nothing happened. There was absolutely no change in the steady momentum of the commuter train.
So far so good, Lee thought. He turned to look at Mrs. Robinson. She seemed completely immersed in her knitting, adding a touch of vermilion to a coat-of-arms.
Lee turned back to the blind and this time he gave the pull-string a strong yank, bringing the blind about halfway up. He peered out the window and was astounded to see that there were dark cinderblocks pressed up tightly against the glass of the window! It was as if the train was completely encased in stone!
Suddenly the train lurched, throwing Lee, Mrs. Robinson and all the other passengers forward. Mrs. Robinson recovered quickly. She reached over and pulled the blind down with all her might. The train calmed down immediately.
Boy, what did I tell ya bout lookin out the window, she said, angrily. Her knitting had fallen to the floor of the train, and she bent over to gather it up.
Yes, but Mrs. Robinson Lee started. Mrs. Robinson
Mrs. Robinson what?
OutsideThe trainbrickshow are we
Bricks? Oh, we must be tunneling, she said.
Tunneling? Tunnelingthrough what?
Well les seewhat did the conductor say the last stop was?
Platos Cavesomethin like that.
Well, les see then She licked the index finger of her right hand and stuck it up in the air. Winds from the south, as the crow flies She then stuck her right elbow up in the air. Barometric pressure is steady. She then wiggled her nose. And I loves the smell of train compartments in the morninhmmm, I would say we was tunnelin through the Great Wall of Tibet. She brightened at that revelation. And that means
The train conductor appeared at the forward doors again, waving his huge baton to The Blue Danube Waltz.
The Really Incredible City, he barked. This stop, The Really Incredible City.
This is us, honey, Mrs. Robinson said, getting up and stuffing her knitting materials under her blue toboggan. Les go.
The Really Incredible City? Lee said. I dont think I ever heard of it. Where is it?
They were standing on the train platform, watching as the southbound train left for points further south.
Why, its on the other side of the Great Wall of Tibet. I thought you got that part.
Lee looked around. He didnt really see what was so very incredible about it. The train platform looked about the same as the one close to his house: same canopy-style roof held up by iron poles, same rough cement floor, same indeterminate people milling about waiting for their respective trains.
Someone brushed past Lee, a man carrying an attach case, and it was with a tiny little bit of surprise that Lee noticed this man had three arms: one on each side of his body and one reaching out from his chest. It was in this arm that he carried the attach case. Lee also noticed that the mans face and three hands were a silver-grayish color, standing out strikingly against the caramel-colored coveralls he was wearing.
All, or most, of the people seemed to be of the same ilk. There was a silver-grayish woman sitting on a bench, cradling a silver-grayish child in her three arms. Next to her was a silver-grayish man, holding a newspaper in his normal hands while he pushed a pair of plastic reading glasses up against the bridge of his nose with his extra hand. Silver-grayish people stood nervously by the tracks, waiting for the next train, doing what people do everywhere when they are waiting to board a train. And they all seemed to be dressed in the same caramel-colored coveralls.
Mrs. Robinson
Mrs. Robinson shook her head.
Didnt ya know boy that the Really Incredible City is sitiated on another planet? No, course ya didnt.
Another planet? But howwhen?
It was the tunneling that did it, Mrs. Robinson said, matter-of-factly. We is way way south now.
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I usually write non-fiction essays and poetry, though I really wanna branch out into playwriting. Who knows, maybe I'll write a novel myself someday! But then I'd rather express my artistic leanings through visual art or music...