Attacking Aggressively

Journal.txt(8)

In the morning, Shaun enters the storage room and asks me if I would like to come along with him to the pie eating contest. When I ask him why he offers me such an opportunity, he says that no one else wants to go. I should really not be outside, but now that I know about my human consciousness then maybe I should try it in the public. It would also be quite interesting to see how much food people can consume at one time, last time I saw people eat they only had plates and bowls no bigger than a human head. What if Rasheed and the rest also goes to the contest, then I will be able to explain everything to them. I really should not go there I realize yet again, but the nostalgia, the wish to test the chance that my old co-workers are there just act so tempting. I agree to the offer, and follow Shaun through the corridor and up the staircase. He tells me to be quiet, because he does not want anybody to hear us. I ask him why I would not want anyone to do so, and then he explains that Fred would never let him bring me out in the daylight. I do not wish to oppose the will of Fred, so I turn back. Shaun runs after me and claims that it would not be that big a deal. When he insists, and even begs me, I turn back and follow him out. While we head off on the moped that Shaun rode when he stalked me and Sam, Shaun explains how he has fasted since yesterday in order to stay hungry enough to have a decent chance to win. He says that he is starving right now, and that he surely could devour twenty whole pies. This is quite a relief, since he is only required to consume three of them.

As I sit behind the driving Shaun, I take a look at the headquarters. Nothing else is located anywhere near it, and it is just outside of the city, so it is well exposed regarding what business is going on in it. The ride back into Oxford takes half an hour, probably a little longer than the opposite ride with the van. The moped must hence be a little slower than the van, and I suspect the main reasons to be the smaller motor and the lesser amount of wheels. As we reach the city limit, the sky has already swapped from its lively, burning, orange and red shade to its casual, deep blue. I tilt my head upwards, and then notice that the point at the centre is slightly darker than the rest. It looks a bit strange, but I conclude that it is either the lack of particles or the greenhouse gasses, that according to one of the girls in the compound are gasses that bounds solar beams to the earth and slowly kills it. I have personally not heard much about this subject, so I will have to trust that she was correct. I still do not understand how gasses in the air could kill the earth, but as I said, I am very inexpert regarding this.

Shaun interrupts my thinking, and tells me that we have arrived to the Echo Convention with the contest. Shaun helps me off the moped, and together we walk through the big gate saying "OXFORD ECO CONVENTION 2028, the best for Earth and you!" on it. Below this title stands "ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN! ALTERNATIVE FUELS! ECOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS! MORE!". The 'Echo' in 'Echo Convention' must be spelled wrong either on the plaque or in my protocols. It would very unlikely that there would be a spelling mistake in me, though, but I guess it is not impossible. Shaun carefully leads me into the convention, full of stands, people advertising their stands and people visiting their stands.

- Excuse me sir, would you be interested in trying some vegan chicken? a woman suddenly offers Shaun as we walk by. She then shows us a plate with seven smaller paper plates on it with small, white cubes put on them.

- Sorry, but I'm saving myself for the big pie eating contest, Shaun explains and faintly looks at her.

- Oh well, good luck then, the woman says to Shaun a bit sad, before looking at me. How about you, would you like to try? she asks.

- I am sorry, but my funds are strictly limited, I tell the woman.

- Don't worry, they're free samples, she says. Shaun then explains that I am allergic to chicken, but this only boosts her determination.

- No, this isn't real chicken. Come on, have one, the stubborn woman tells me.

- I am sad to inform you that I am unable to eat them. It is a... I begin.