The Real Big Brainy

by Gary D. Snyder

Part 7:

"Okay, Carl, what is this thing again?" asked Sheen, pointing to one of the creative, albeit it somewhat unusual, drawings on Carl's project poster. It looked very similar to a llama except for the sharp teeth and long scaly tail covered with spikes.

"That's the Llamasaurus Rex," replied Carl. "It lived during the Jurassic Park Era."

"Uh-huh. And this?" Sheen was now pointing to another llama with what could only be described as an elephant's trunk and long, curved tusks.

"Oh, that's the wooly llamadon. It evolved during the Ice Age and was hunted to extinction by cave men."

Sheen shook his head. "You know, Carl, I don't believe you really did a lot of research on this. I've never seen half of the things you have here. Well, that's not exactly true. I have seen half of them, but just not put together with the other half you have them with. And whoever heard of a duck-billed llamapus?"

It was Friday afternoon and because the Science Fair entries were considered to be major school projects all of the students in Miss Fowl's class had been permitted to spend part of each afternoon working on them in the school auditorium. As well as giving the students the chance to perfect their entries for Friday evening's main event this had also allowed them to observe the other projects and offer suggestions and constructive criticism. Sheen had taken to the latter opportunity with gusto.

"It's a marsupial that lived in Austria a long, long time ago," Carl retorted.

"You mean Australia."

Carl shook his head. "No, I don't think it was that long ago."

Not knowing how to respond to this answer Sheen decided to check on Jimmy, who was at that moment working on something underneath his project table. Wrapped around the table was a banner reading "THE MAGIC OF SCIENCE" and on the table were a variety of Jimmy's inventions. Some of them were unfamiliar to Sheen, but several of them he recognized from past experiences with them. He picked up one of the familiar-looking gadgets and inspected it closely, noticing that it seemed lighter than he remembered.

"Hey, Jimmy, what's your shrink ray doing here? Everyone's already seen that."

From somewhere under the table Jimmy answered, "I needed to make a few modifications to the density compensator for my act tonight."

That must explain why it feels so light, though Sheen. "Why did you need to change the density condensator?" he asked.

Jimmy emerged from where he had been working, looking sweaty and disheveled. The truth of the matter was that he had not slept much in the past few days and was not at his best at that moment. "Density COMPENSATOR," he snapped. "Before the shrink ray would make things heavier when they got bigger and lighter when they got smaller. Now the mass and weight of the object remains the same regardless of how big or small it gets." He crawled back under the table.

"Why did you have to do that?"

Jimmy didn't even bother to reappear this time when he answered with noticeable irritation. "Because I didn't want a rabbit to weigh 600 pounds when I made it 6 feet tall and it started jumping around. The floor of the auditorium couldn't handle the stress and it could ruin my tricks."

"Silly rabbit. Tricks are for kids," commented Sheen as he wandered over to Jacques' project. Because Cindy's project was on alternative energy sources it was only natural that she would merge her project with Jacques' innovative energy project, and she was discussing the MAMBO reactor, which was about the size and shape of a small refrigerator, with him. Jacques seemed very excited about something.

"Are you sure?" Cindy was asking as Sheen wandered up. "I thought you said you didn't have the power to start it up."

"Yes, yes, so I thought. But I have overcome that problem. Watch, if you please, the light on the table." Jacques turned to the reactor, threw what appeared to be the main power switch , and turned a large knob on the front of the device. After a long moment the bulb began to glow, slowly growing brighter as the three watched.

"That's not bad, Jacques," admitted Sheen, "but I think Edison beat you to it about 125 years ago."

"It's not the light bulb that's the project, you lug nut," snapped Cindy. "It's the reactor. Jacques's invention is actually working and supplying power to the light."

"Yes!" exclaimed Jacques as he danced about in unrestrained exuberance. "I knew it would work! I knew it!" Without warning he stopped cavorting about. To Cindy's utter astonishment he suddenly pulled her close and kissed her before resuming his delighted capering.

Cindy was overwhelmed with a confused mix of emotions, half-hoping that no one had seen the kiss and yet half-wishing that everyone had. She noticed Sheen staring at her with an odd expression on his face. "What are you looking at?" she demanded in a defensive tone, wondering if he had been one who had seen.

Sheen pointed to the light bulb he had been watching. "Is it supposed to be that bright?" he asked, squinting.

Cindy looked and saw that the radiance from the bulb was growing and was now almost blinding. It was so bright that even students on the far side of the auditorium were beginning to notice it. "Jacques, could you tone it down a bit?" she asked, feeling somewhat relieved that the bulb has turned attention away from Jacques' kiss.

"Yes, of course," replied Jacques happily as he turned the large knob to the left. The bulb dimmed momentarily, but began to brighten again. "That is most strange," he murmured, frowning slightly. He again to turned the knob to the left, this time as far as the knob would go. Again the bulb dimmed, but when it began to grow brighter once again Cindy could not help but notice that Jacques looked concerned and even a bit worried. Almost in desperation he gripped a large lever mounted on the side of the reactor and pulled it down, still watching the light bulb. From inside the device Cindy and Sheen heard the sound of large relays throwing, and the bulb went out. After several anxious moments with the light showing no signs of coming on again, Jacques relaxed.

"Was that supposed to happen?" asked Cindy.

Jacques shook his head, apparently baffled. "Possibly there a loose wire inside the containment circuitry. I should look to see." With that he disengaged several catches on a side panel of the reactor and began to probe inside the complicated circuitry within. Cindy looked over his shoulder with interest, trying to make sense of the wires and connections. As she was taking it all in she suddenly stiffened, noticing something that should not have been there. Before Jacques could stop her she reached inside and pulled it out of the reactor, not really wanting to believe what it was but unable to deny the proof of her own eyes.

It was one of Jimmy's energy cells. There was no way Jimmy would have loaned one to Jacques, even had they been on good terms which was clearly not the case. There was only one explanation, and Jacques' shamefaced expression only confirmed her worst suspicions. He had somehow gotten it without Jimmy's permission. He had stolen it!

Cindy looked up in confusion, wondering what to say or do, and if it were actually possible immediately felt even worse. Standing not ten feet away was Jimmy, who had been attracted by the blinding radiance earlier and was now staring at the energy cell in her hand. He looked up into Cindy's face with a look that went beyond mere hurt. Cindy, understanding immediately his misconceptions about the situation, began stammering an explanation. "No…I didn't…it wasn't …I would never…" she faltered.

She didn't get any further than that. Without a word Jimmy turned and ran from the auditorium.

End of Part 7.

Author's Notes:

This is probably the longest chapter in the story, which is a hint that things are heading for the big showdown as a lot of things had to be established here. As grim as these turns of events are I tried to lighten things up a bit with Carl and Sheen doing the introduction to this chapter. Carl and Sheen react well together and I think any story benefits from their involvement. I also wanted them around for the big finish in the next few chapters.