The next day, we headed out. We rode the camels, though Angel rode me now (once again, I had been a Utahraptor for transportation), and saw the sunrise.
Believe me, the desert sunrise is amazing. It's dark and filled with stars at first, then the horizon we were heading into (we're walking east) turned to dark blue, and stars faded from it. Then the blue spread, up and around the sky, and a few colors would dab the horizon. Then the sun itself would poke up, and shoot its first rays across the sand.
Stars were still visible on the opposite horizon, with the dark blue sky surrounding them. Paler, softer, cooler blue separated the stars from the sun. The sense of freedom was astounding.
It was beautiful, to say the least.
Angel and I had reached an agreement, meanwhile. I wouldn't annoy her and act…. Um, attitudeish? Whatever, to her, and she wouldn't read my mind.
This allowed her to not be annoyed when I talk to an animal, I got privacy, and we all were happy. I still put up a mental shield just in case.
Either way, Angel was stroking my spray of head-feathers gently. It was different from Ella petting my ears. Don't ask why it was different, I dunno either, but it just was a different case than if my ears were pet.
Aaaaaanyway, the town was getting closer. I had run off to check a little while ago. By now, after we went over a small sand hill, we'd be able to see it. From there, it's about two, three hours ride.
Thank goodness. I wasn't losing much water due to my scaly skin, but the others… Well, they were dehydrated.
We had been on the move for… I counted up the days in my head. Yesterday, half of the day before… So this would be two days at least without water. Human can't go for that long without it. I think three days is the max.
I dunno about bird kids. I think maybe a little longer, but that's a guess.
I climbed over the hill in front of the town. Thank Freespirit, we were here!
I turned to the camels, where Max and the others were dismounting. Angel had already gotten off of me, and I had shifted back to normal form. I don't think the townspeople would be thrilled to have a giant Utahraptor running pell-mell through the town…
I trotted over to the camels. "Hey," I started telling Murua, "You're going to have to follow us in, okay? Act tame…"
She looked at me funny. "We are not tame animals meant to follow you."
"It's pretend. Just act tamish."
"Tamish?"
"Yes, tamish."
The camel looked at me strangely again. "Okay, then…"
I walked over to Max. "The camels are going to act tamish." It's pronounced TAY-mish, by the way, not tam-ish.
"Tamish?"
"Yes, tamish."
I'm having an odd sense of déjà vu….
And we were off. In a foreign land. With no money, or the ability to speak the language of here.
Let the mime-fest begin…
Wait- if we did something vulgar or extremely rude on accident, thing could turn deadlier than Max with her hatchet. Which she STILL held by her side even now. I think it's love.
Ahem. Wait a second!
"Angel?" I asked innocently.
"Yes, Spark?"
"Can you read their minds?"
"Yes."
"Do you understand them?"
"Not at all."
Well, great. Even our mind reader/ controller is out of use.
Then the pilot walked over to a random civilian and started talking to them. The person responded back.
WHAT THE HECK!?!
"You can speak their language?" asked Gazzy.
The pilot nodded. His co-pilot shook his head. "I do, but Bobby here can't. I had to, because I come to this area often with supplies."
Well, I didn't understand a single word of what the pilot was saying to the villager. It sounded like, "Yoiuwhk? Grjklgfjk tekdfjk fkdjguoieooewkjmv kklfgn wdkelketjrtggmfd gjkgjgmgf g kfjdm rgdkljpoowweowldlmlgm fcnfsllkf ytit. Jfgjjk?" to me. I don't know what it was exactly, but…
The villager didn't get mad at him. Nor did he turn into a ninja and come after us with a sign saying "Delicious" and a machete. So I assume that, "Yoiuwhk? Grjklgfjk tekdfjk fkdjguoieooewkjmv kklfgn wdkelketjrtggmfd gjkgjgmgf g kfjdm rgdkljpoowweowldlmlgm fcnfsllkf ytit. Jfgjjk?" was not an insult.
The pilot came back from his odd language exchange and said, "There's a phone over there. Anyone got any spare change?"
Well, Ella had the most. An entire quarter!
We managed to scrap together the required dollar for the pay phone and then… half of us crowded in the pay phone. Me, Nudge, Ella, and Gazzy went to give the camels their reward. We actually got it for free. How, you ask? Well, it's apparently tradition to feed an water guests, and their camels. We gave our food to the camels.
Then we thanked the villagers and left. And we never saw the camels again.
EVER! Ever! Ever. –echos into distance-
Uh… yeah. But, oddly enough, halfway to the telephone booth that was hosting half the group, Angel, who was walking beside me, suddenly stiffened. I glanced at her, surprised, and saw something odd in her eyes. They were still blue as always, but…. They had shock, fear, and sadness in them.
I was wondering what in the name of all that is holy was going on with her, but before I could ask, we were at the phone booth again.
Dr. Martinez, followed by the pilot, co-pilot, and everyone else, came out of the booth cheerfully, albeit a bit ruffled and slightly squished-looking.
"We'll have a helicopter pick us up in a few hours!" she announced.
"That's good," I said back.
"Obviously."
"Yes, I know Ella."
"You know me? When have we met?"
"Okay, guys," Max said, pushing in between us, "break it up. Ella, stop intentionally acting like Cleverbot."
"But it's fun!"
"I know it is, El. But you aren't him."
"What makes you so sure it's a him?" asked Iggy.
Fang replied, "No one knows."
After Fang, had spoken, Angel had flashed her eyes up again before looking sad.
"What is it, Angel?" asked Max worriedly.
The littlest blond-haired girl looked down, before announcing completely spontaneously, "Fang is going to die soon."
Well. Hole. E. Crap.
Well, that was Chapter Seventeen! I have been having an interesting relationship with Cleverbot lately. My friend is now apparently married to it and has two children, and it asked me out.
So.... I hope you enjoyed it!