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She knew Bashi, and was discussing it with our guide, who knew over 200 languages, and kept reminding us of that. She didn't think he was as pridefully irritating as I did. I felt completely unprepared, more so when I was told my assignment was was to a planet which had been in civil war for centuries. In the tunnel we three crouched behind a stalagmite and watched the soldiers with melted faces hurry past. Up on land, crossing the street toward Borders, I accidentally got in a soldier's way and the antenna on something deadly he was carrying snagged on my pants. He glared at me and I realized there was nothing to keep him from shooting on the street - I knew I had to be more careful and/or get a weapon.
I called Pete to tell him about my asignment and he asked when we were going to begin shooting. I remembered he didn't know there were other planets, or didn't believe.
-
I accidentally destoryed the fence that held in the ducks and was frantically trying to find something that would make do. There was nothing. And we were out of grain, so they would leave in search of things to eat, I was sure. I walked around in the swampy back yard, saying goodbye, watching them go. The pheasant rubbed against my ankles like a cat. I ran over to my uncle's house to see if they had anything to feed or contain them - not much.
As I was leaving with a bunch of old broken potatoes and donuts, my uncle came home and started yelling before I was even within earshot - when he got closer, I could tell he was making fun of me - I gave him the finger. It was an awkward gesture - my hands were full - but he saw what I meant. I was afraid he might hit me, but he didn't; I left.
Later, back in their house, still upset. Apparently he'd told my aunt I was insane. She scraped burnt popcorn kernels around and around in the bottom of a bowl and told me a parable about another girl who'd gone mad. I knew she was wrong, and I wanted to leave, but she'd enchanted me, and the story was so nice, and maybe she was right, and I fell asleep, though I knew I'd be dead when I woke up.
-
I told the agency I would only strip for people I knew, but now they wanted me to work a 14-year-old's birthday party. What the hell, why not.
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I slept on the beach and got up at midnight to run. I snagged my hands on sharp invisible briars but kept going - the ground cleared and I was free.
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Whoopi Goldberg had to wear a push-up bra, now that she was a secret agent. She offered her breasts to ehr partner; she declined. Whoopi sighed ruefully at the stylish new purse she had to carry.
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At the banquet I was looking down so I missed the first blood - apparently the boy managed a lucky hit and gored the warrior with his trident. Everyone screamed.
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His penis was split down the underside and had white feelers growing out of it.
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Will Smith slung his arm around me, heavy and hot, as we walked around the corner of the house. I shoved him off, again. He started to tell me a riddle; I told him I'd already heard it three times, from him, and the answer was fifty cents. He got mad and threw all his change at me - I caught it and counted almost four dollars. I was confused.
I went up the steps and through what I realized was the wrong door; this one didn't lock. Will was right behind me, wanting to come in. No. He struggled with me, the flimsy screen door between us. I screamed and screamed. He's trying to rape me! Don't you care? Everyone on the sidewalk stopped for a moment, shook their heads no, moved on.
I turned and ran deeper into the house. Slammed a door between myself and Will, locked it, ran through another, locked it. He was always right behind the door, moving as quickly as I was. Then it was a girl, not Will. She was mean and laughing. All the locks were on the wrong side of the doors now, so they were easier for her to undo than for me to do.
There were no stairs when I needed there to be stairs - I wanted to sneak upstairs and hide or jump out a window. I closed my eyes and wished stairs and there they were and I woke up.