Mars (Planet) -- Fiction; Psychological fiction; Science fiction; Short stories; Space travelers -- Fiction
"You look pretty funny sliding through the air with your hand up like
that, Halloway."
How's that, sir?
"Ha, ha, ha!"
Why are the others laughing at me, sir?
"Nothing, son, nothing. Just happy, that's all."
_Ding Ding. Ding Ding._ Canal Street and Washington. _Ding Ding.
Whoosh._ This is real traveling. Funny, though, the captain and his men
keep moving, changing seats, never stay seated. It's a long street-car.
I'm way in back now. They're up front.
By the large brown house on the next corner stands a popcorn wagon,
yellow and red and blue. I can taste the popcorn in my mind. It's been
a long time since I've eaten some ... if I ask the captain's permission
to stop and buy a bag, he'll refuse. I'll just sneak off the car at the
next stop. I can get back on the next car and catch up with the gang
later.
* * * * *
How do you stop this car? My fingers fumble with my baseball outfit,
doing something I don't want to know about. The car is stopping! Why's
that. Popcorn is more important.
I'm off the car, walking. Here's the popcorn machine with a man behind
it, fussing with little silver metal knobs.
"_--murr--lokk--loc--cor--iz--_"
_Tony!_ Tony, bambino! What are you doing here?
"_Click._"
It can't be, but it is. Tony, who died ten long years ago, when I was
a freckled kid! Alive and selling popcorn again. Oh, Tony, it's good
to see you. His black moustache's so waxed, so shining, his dark hair
like burnt oily shavings, his dark shining happy eyes, his smiling red
cheeks! He shimmers in my eyes like in a cold rain. Tony! Let me shake
your hand! Gimme a bag of popcorn, senor!
"_Click-click-click--sput-click--reeeeee-eeeeeeee--_"
The captain didn't see you, Tony, you were hidden so well, only _I_ saw
you. Just a moment while I search for my nickel.
"_Reeeeeee._"
Whew, I'm dizzy. It's very hot. My heads spins like a leaf on a storm
wind. Let me hold onto your wagon, Tony, quick, I'm shivering and I've
got sharp needle head pains....
"_Reeeeeeee._"
I'm running a temperature. I feel as if I have a torch hung flaming in
my head.
Hotter. Pardon me for criticizing you, Tony, but I think its your
popper turned up too high. Your face looks afraid, contorted, and your
hands move so rapidly, why? Can't you shut it off? I'm hot. Everything
melts. My knees sag.
Warmer still. He'd better turn that thing off, I can't take any more.
I can't find my nickel anyhow. Please, snap it off, Tony, I'm sick. My
uniform glows orange. I'll take fire!
Here, I'll turn it off for you, Tony.
You _hit_ me!
Stop hitting me, stop clicking those knobs! It's hot, I tell you. Stop,
or I'll--
Tony. Where are you? Gone.
Where did that purple flame shoot from? That loud blast, what was it?
The flame seemed to stream from my hand, out of my scout flashlight.
Purple flame--eating!
I smell a sharp bitter odor.
Like hamburger fried overlong.
I feel better now. Cool as winter. But--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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